The Transformation of Emmett McCarty
by verseseven
Summary: From Emmett's POV, how he was changed and how he joined the Cullen family.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a story from Emmett's POV, how he was changed and how he joined the Cullen family. Canon. Please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!**

* * *

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"Hope is a word like snow-drift - this is the great knowing, this is the awakening, this is the voidness - so shut up, live, travel, adventure, bless, and don't be sorry."**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road -_

* * *

Bear attacks happen as fast as lightening. At least, that's what my brother Jack had always told me.

When I stopped at the stream to fill my canteen, my thoughts had been on formulating a strategy of how to hunt the biggest deer. The track crew had gotten into a rowdy argument about who was the best hunter on the team and I, always up for competition, was the first one to slam my money on the table and declare that I could bring back the biggest buck they'd ever seen. The bet was on, Jack loaned me his rifle and I began hiking into the hills, looking for our supper.

Little did I realize that deer were scarce in East Tennessee due to the abundance of eager hunters, unlike my hometown mountains in North Carolina where whitetails were easy to be found, and I had been patiently scouting with little success.

Taking off my hat, I wiped my brow and took a long drink of water. It was well past noon and I was deep in the forest and knew I needed to start heading back to camp before the sun set. Unwilling to admit defeat, I stood up to continue hunting when "lightening" struck.

I was being attacked by a bear.

* * *

Adventure was all I had ever known. I didn't shy from it, I welcomed it. Born in Asheville, North Carolina in 1915, into a large Irish family, I was forced to accept life's changes when, a year later, my parents died in the floods during the summer of 1916. Being the youngest with seven older brothers, I did not lack for family and was dearly loved. But, being raised by brothers was an untraditional way of life and certainly had an impact. Not that I analyzed it all that much. It was what it was.

From as early as I can remember, I was always up for a challenge. And my older brothers got a kick out of what I was willing to do, no matter how dangerous. When I was five years old, my brother Walter dared me to eat a poison ivy leaf (yeah, I almost died from that). At the age of ten, I hopped on a railroad car and traveled all the way to South Carolina because my brother Randall wanted to skip school. Even though being raised by older brothers didn't have the restraint of rules and regulations usually placed upon by parents, when we returned several days later Randall got severely punished for taking his ten year old brother across state lines, with no idea where we were.

My life had been full of adventure. As a child I had chased water moccasins, explored bat caves, climbed tall trees. As a teenager I raced cars, jumped off cliffs, and gotten into several fist fights (and won). Every morning when I woke up, I was ready for the next, challenge, the next adventure.

"Wake up, Emmett. Time to get going," I heard a rough voice warn me. Jack. My oldest brother. Patriarch and protector of the family McCarty.

For the last four years I had worked with my brothers at the Little River Railroad Company in East Tennessee. Jack had served under Col. Townsend during the Great War and upon return home joined his work of logging and building railroads in the remote terrain of the Smoky Mountains. Some of my brothers decided to get married and settle down in Asheville, but I felt the call to explore. The industry was booming and by the time I was sixteen, I had joined Jack, Walter and Randall in the work.

I remained in my tent, wanting to get as many moments of sleep as I could. Lately I hadn't been jumping out of bed every morning asking the universe what was next. I _knew_ what to expect – another day of back breaking manual labor.

"Little brother, if you don't get up, I'm gonna whoop your butt," threatened Randall. It was a challenge, I knew, but too early in the morning for me to bother to respond.

Suddenly I heard the slosh of water coming out of a bucket, and a second later felt the water from the slop bucket drench me completely. I bounded up, not angry, but accepting the challenge, chasing the second youngest member of our family through the camp site.

When Randall yelled over his shoulder, "Catch me if you can" this only gave me more incentive for payback. Catching him quickly, I wrestled him to the ground, holding his face in the dirt. "Now tell me you're sorry," I laughed. I was _strong_ and I knew that I could easily hurt him if I wanted to, but beating each other up was the way our family showed affection. We were physical men.

Jack only had to clear his throat to get us to stop, though. We straightened up from the ground, wiped the dust off our overalls, and went back to our tents, slapping each other on the way to get our shoes and work tools. Not only our brother, Jack was also the head foreman. And we knew when it was time to get serious.

It wasn't that I didn't like the work. I was _strong_ and it came more easily for me than the other men on the crew. I could lay more track than three men, and chop lumber faster than six men. But, after four years, the _challenge_ had disappeared. It was the Depression era and people were starving across the country. I had steady work and food, and I should've been thankful for that, but I was starting to yearn for _more_. The thing that had kept me working with the railroad was my brothers. I was loyal to them and couldn't imagine leaving them on their own. Family stuck together. I was happy and enjoyed the days, but I still felt the tension between loyalty and the need deep inside me for adventure growing more and more each passing day.

Our crew of fourteen men were a mix of young and old, single and married. I had given them all nicknames and probably because of my massive 6'5" frame they hadn't disagreed. In addition to my brothers Jack, Randall and Wlater, there was Shorty, Banjo, Junior, Boss, Muddy, Bull, Pop, Bubba, Pilgrim, and Rocky Top. Building the railroad up the East Prong gorge employed some of the latest steam-powered equipment, but much of the construction had to be done with our hands. There was a work crew that cleared the area cutting down trees, and a track crew that laid the rail. From dawn 'til dusk we worked in a quiet rhythm, only the sounds of shovel and ax pick to be heard. In the Smokies a single giant chestnut tree could produce 18,000 planks of wood and it was very time consuming, labor intensive work. It was remote as well. Gatlinburg was the nearest town, but we worked deep in the Smoky Mountains. We worked weeks at a time without seeing another soul except for those on our crew. And women? Forget about it. Women were a sight for sore eyes. We had to wait to go into town to have that luxury.

After a few hours of concentrating on work, I was itching for a competition. "Hey, Junior. You up for a contest?" I asked as we loaded lumber on a truck.

Junior shifted uneasily. "With you, Big Em?"

The kid looked up at me and I realized he wasn't keen on competing with me physically. I couldn't blame him and changed my plan.

"Sure. How many National League teams can you name?" Baseball. Easy. America's favorite sport.

A grin spread across Junior's face. "Philies, Pirates, Reds...Yankees..."

"Wrong! Yankees are the in American League," my brother Walter corrected, joining the conversation. "Emmett, can _you_ name all the American League teams?"

A challenge! I perked up, although it wasn't much one. "_Yankees_, Tigers, Indians, Red Sox, White Sox, Senators, Browns and Athletics."

Walter nodded, but was not impressed.

"Okay, but can you name the entire starting line up for the Yankees?" Junior challenged, eyebrows raised in doubt.

Most men liked sports, especially in my family, and we especially liked the Yankees, so I didn't see how this was much of a challenge either. But, most men also thought that because of my easy going personality and bulging muscles, my brain was pea-sized.

Walter chuckled. He realized I was being underestimated, too.

"I'll name the entire _roster_, son. Allen, Broaca, Brown, DeShong, Gomez, Malone, Murphy, Ruffing, Tamulis, Van Atta, Dickey, Gleen, Jorgens, Crosetti, Heffner, Lazzeri, Richardson, Rolfe, Ryan, Saltzgaver, Champan, Combs, Hill, Hoag, Selkirk, Walter and...Gehriiiiig!" I swung my long arms like I was hitting a baseball.

"Homerun..." Walter muttered under his breath.

Junior stood staring at me with his mouth open. "Well, alright!" he finally replied with a grin on his face.

I grinned back at him.

"Lunch time, men" Jack yelled out, checking his pocket watch. "Thirty minutes."

The crew gathered in groups to eat their lunch, but I took a seat on a stump in the shade to stretch out my legs. Even though I was already twenty years old, I sometimes felt like I was still experiencing growing pains, if that was even possible.

A few minutes later Jack approached me. "Apple?" he offered.

"Thanks," I replied with pleasure. Fresh fruit was a rare treat. I couldn't help but smile. Jack was always taking care of me, making sure I woke up on time, that I had enough to eat. I punched him in the arm in appreciation.

We sat in comfortable silence for awhile until Jack finally spoke.

"When I was making a lumber delivery in Gatlinburg last month, I read a notice about the WPA hiring people to work out West. Interviews are next week. They need experienced men." His words were suggestive and I made a joke to cover my uneasiness. I had heard about it as well, and had considered it, but I didn't want him to know that.

Shrugging, I replied, "Aww, I heard the WPA is made up of a bunch of lazy good for nothings..."

"Work is hard to come by these days and if you're looking to move on, it's _something_."

"I'm not moving on, I ..."

He interupted, "Hell, Emmett. You're smart, you're strong, you've got your whole life ahead of you. I know you don't want to spend the next few years of your life stuck in the mountains with this crew..." he waved his hand towards the men who had begun arguing about the biggest deer they had ever shot while hunting.

Jack paused and then continued. "I know you're itching for a challenge, for adventure. I know you, little brother." He looked at me in the eyes, suddenly more serious than before. "I'm just saying that if I wake up one morning and you're not here, I'd understand. I wouldn't hold it against ya."

An unfamiliar feeling came over me. His words felt...prophetic? Yes, I was feeling restless, but I hadn't thought _too_ much about leaving, and here Jack was giving me permission to move on. In fact, he looked almost like he had tears in his eyes. Strange.

We stared at each other for longer than we were both comfortable with and I made a joke to diffuse the tension.

"Brother, you need a _woman_ so you can stop worrying about _me_! Seriously! A blonde with really big..." I started to communicate with my hands the kind of woman my brother needed and he laughed.

The argument with the other men in the crew was getting more heated and a shoving match was commencing. I rolled my eyes and stood up, nodding at Jack. The boss didn't need to break this up, it wasn't _that_ serious, but harmony needed to be preserved since we had to work so closely together day in and out. I walked over to the crew.

"I've got money that says I can catch the biggest buck y'all have ever seen...and before dinner tonight, too." Waving a dollar in the air, I smiled. The crew all started hooting and hollering. I slammed the crinkled bill on the table. "Anyone care to make a wager?"

With a loaf of bread costing 8 cents, a dollar was a decent amount of money. I didn't do it often, but I loved to gamble and liked the thrill of exhilaration wondering whether I'd win or lose.

Randall called me on it. "Okay hot shot, I'm in. I'll see you a dollar and raise you this – loser has to dig out and clean the outhouse for the next month." There wasn't any indoor plumbing out here in the mountains and this was a dirty and disgusting job that no one wanted to do.

I grinned. "Deal." I was confident that I was going to win. "Hey boss, is it okay if I go now?" I asked Jack, who I knew had been listening to every word.

The men all voiced their agreement that this was a good idea and Jack tipped his hat in approval. "My rifle is in the truck. Good luck!" He was laughing and shaking his head as the rest of the crew cheered. We needed fresh meat anyway and making a game out of a chore like hunting broke up the monotony of our daily lifestyle. I was glad to have his support. And to get to do something _different_ for a change.

I grabbed Jack's rifle and my canteen and headed out into the woods. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Jack staring at me. That same unfamiliar feeling came over me again. I waved and he waved back.

It was the last time I would ever see him again, and for some reason, I think he knew it.

* * *

Thanks for reading! This is the second fan fiction I've ever written and I really enjoyed doing research about life in 1935. In this chapter I tried to highlight the qualities I love about Emmett – his strength, love of competition and challenge, and loyalty to family.

Please review! Also, check out "Jack's Dream" in my Outtakes section (go to my profile page for the link) if you want to get the background about why Jack was acting so intuitive! :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer for her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"You don't die enough to cry."**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

_

* * *

  
_

The black bear was charging at me on all fours, his ears back, head low, teeth exposed. He was fierce - at least four hundred pounds, a long snout, shaggy hair and eyes full of hate. I didn't know how to react.

Years of challenging my brothers to a foot race had made me fast. I turned to run, but it felt like slow motion. My mind was a mixture of emotions and thoughts. Fear. _Should I run?_ Excitement. _Should I fight? _Curiosity. _Where is my rifle??_

Realizing I couldn't out run a bear, no matter how fast I was, I started climbing the nearest tree. I was only able to climb a few feet before I felt the bear take a bite of my foot.

_Ouch. That hurt._

Understatement.

I kicked him as hard as I could and tried to keep climbing. I was not going to be attacked without a fight.

The bear began climbing the tree and took a swipe at me, knocking me to the ground, twenty feet below.

I gasped for breath - the wind had been knocked out of me. I heard grunting as the bear climbed down the tree and ran towards me. I rolled to the side and jumped up, grabbing a tree branch to use as a weapon.

The bear stopped and then stood on his two feet. Sizing me up, perhaps?

My heart was pounding. I had wanted an adventure, right? All those nights in the mountains, staring at the stars, wishing I could be challenged to my full potential. Well, here it was. I was fighting for my life.

"Hello, sir. I'm Emmett McCarty. Pleased to meet you," I bowed in greeting.

Ridiculous, talking to a black bear like he was a gentleman, but I used humor in uncomfortable situations.

"Now, get the hell out of here," I added as a postscript, gripping the branch in my hands.

The bear charged and I was able to take a few jabs, which for a moment confused him. He shook it off and made another attempt, this time successful. Raising his massive paw, he knocked the branch from my hands and I felt his claws rip through my skin. I screamed in pain as he then took a bite out of my leg and I collapsed on the ground.

It was happening so fast and all I could do was cover my head with my arms as the bear tore into me. I kicked and screamed and tried to crawl away. It felt like a sledgehammer drilling into my stomach, blood was flowing and I tried to keep consciousness.

Time stopped and I realized I was going to die.

I thought about making this piece more humorous, but after the research I did, I realized bear attacks aren't really funny at all They happen fast and can be deadly. Also, I didn't want to get into the blood and gore of an attack, so I kept it short. Thanks for reading! xoxo - Jenn


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer for her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"Somewhere along the line I knew there'd be girls, visions, everything; somewhere along the line the pearl would be handed to me."**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

_

* * *

  
_

The attack was happening faster than I could fight back. I began drifting in and out of consciousness.

_Closing my eyes_

I was a child, laughing, being pulled in a wagon by Jack.

_Opening my eyes_

I could see only blood streaming down my face.

_Closing my eyes_

I was walking down a dirt path to our local school house.

_Opening my eyes_

I saw razor sharp teeth biting my arm as I tried to shield my face.

_Closing my eyes_

I was sitting around a Christmas tree with my brothers and their wives.

I realized what was happening. Damn. My life was flashing before my eyes.

My eyes remained closed, but I knew I was conscious because I could hear the bear's growls as he ravaged my body. I wasn't ready to die. Granted, I hadn't thought very much about my future, I wasn't one to overanalyze things, but I didn't think _this _was the way I'd go out. There was so much in life I hadn't experienced. I'd never been to the ocean, I'd never been to a professional baseball game. I'd never fallen in _love_.

In my mind I immediately saw a vision of a woman – beautiful beyond belief, tall, with long, wavy blonde hair and dark eyes. She was breathtaking –the type of beauty that men write poems about, the type of beauty that wars are fought over. She was the most exquisite woman I had ever seen, absolute perfection, so inhumanly beautiful that she must be an angel.

Suddenly, I felt a huge gust of wind and I was laying on the ground alone in silence. My eyes flew open and the bear had vanished.

I was staring at my angel.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

**_"The air was soft, the stars so fine, the promise of every cobbled alley so great, that I thought I was in a dream."_**

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

_

* * *

  
_

My angel's eyes were full of concern. She stared, almost as if she was considering what to do with me.

Relief flooded my body. Looking into her eyes, I suddenly felt as if I had come _home_. I felt as though I had been searching for something my whole life and when I looked into her eyes, I found it.

If I had seen this woman on the street in Gatlinburg, I would've told my brothers I was experiencing love at first sight. But, it was more than attraction I was feeling. It was a sense of..._completeness_.

"Am I in heaven?" I asked, smiling.

It was the only logical explanation for what I was happening. But, it also felt like a cheesy pick up line and I laughed. Instead of pain, I felt an overwhelming sense of finality, resolution...._peace_. This is what I had always imagined people felt when they died.

With a very serious, intense look on her face, my angel responded with a question of her own.

"What's your name?" Her voice was smooth and alluring.

"Em....Emmett McCarty, ma'am." I felt no pain, but it was difficult to speak. And I was confused. Wouldn't an angel know my name? Certainly, such a beautiful creature as this wouldn't be a mere _woman_ hiking in these remote woods. Impossible.

I tried to sit up, but I couldn't move. It was hard to breathe and it was a struggle to keep my eyes open. I coughed and blood came out of my mouth. _Am I still alive? _Impossible.

She looked over my ravaged body. An expression of doubt crossed my angel's face followed by determination.

"Would you like to come with me?" she asked.

I smiled. "Darlin', I'd go with _you_ anywhere."

Again, I laughed. Either I had already died or my life was hanging by a very fragile thread, but here I was trying to flirt with this breathtaking creature.

For the first time, she smiled. Our eyes locked. That feeling of being home...that sense of completeness washed over me and I lost consciousness.

* * *

Sorry for the last few chapters being so short. I didn't want to keep writing just to fill blank space and I am firmly convinced Emmett wouldn't be overanalyzing these experiences either. Thanks for reading! Please review! - Jenn


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"Life is life, and kind is kind."**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

* * *

Burning. Fire. Pain. Torture.

My eternal judgment had been for hell, not heaven.

My angel was gone. I couldn't open my eyes, but I was confident that my body was on fire. I regained consciousness when I felt my body warming. Soon that warming became an inferno. The burning touched every fiber of my being – from the tips of my toes to the top of my head.

For a very long time, I'm not sure how long exactly, I writhed in the flames. I thrashed about, trying to fight it, but I was unsuccessful. I screamed and didn't care about being less of a man for showing a low tolerance for pain. This was more than pain. It was agony. And this agony was indescribable.

Truly unbearable. My thoughts were entirely focused on the pain – on every excruciating moment of my blood boiling.

The pain didn't subside, but I was able to harness my concentration from the pain into actual thoughts. I could think of a million other things I would have preferred than this. A gun shot, being stabbed, drowning....anything else would have been better. The pain from the bear attack was a Sunday afternoon church picnic compared to what I was experiencing now.

What did I do to deserve this torture? I had tried to live a good life. I was honest and hardworking. I was loyal to my family and friends. Why had I been sent to _hell_? I hadn't cried in years, but I felt the tears fall now. _Why God, why?_

"Carlisle, can't we do anything?" a distressed voice asked. I recognized it immediately. My angel! She hadn't left me after all.

"We can wait," a calming male voice replied. "The venom is working. See how he's healed?"

I tried to make sense of these words. Wait. Venom. Healed. Was I dead or alive? Who were these people? Where was I?

An ice cold hand held mine. It didn't stop the burning, but I was comforted. "It will be over soon, Emmett. Just one more day."

Although I was glad to hear there would be an end to this pain, another day seemed impossible to live through. I just wanted to die.

"Rosalie, you need to hunt. I'll stay with him..." a gentle, feminine voice offered.

I heard a growl. "I'm _not_ leaving him," my angel responded.

If I had the strength to laugh, I would have. This was a woman not to be messed with – when she wanted something she got it.

"I'm so sorry you have to go through this. It was the only way to save you, to _keep_ you. I hope in the future you'll be able to forgive me." A hand stroked my face. My angel sounded so upset and I wanted to comfort her.

If she was on the other side of the fire, I would walk through it to be with her.

The fire raged on for what seemed like eternity and I tried to endure it. At some point I became keenly aware of the number of breaths I was taking, the clarity of sound in the ticking of a clock, and the beat of my own heart. Time seemed to slow down.

Thump, thump, thump..thump......thump.......thump..............

My heart stopped beating.

Was I dead?

My eyes flew open and I jumped up. There was a loud crash and I looked down to see the bed I had been lying on completely destroyed. Had I always been able to move this _quickly_? Had I always been this _strong_? I looked around and I felt like I was experiencing life for the first time. Everything was so _beautiful_.

I was in a bedroom and I realized I was not alone. Instinctively I growled and formed a protective stance. Before me were two men and two women – one of which was my angel. I instantly relaxed when I saw her and relief came over their faces.

"Emmett, my name is Carlisle Cullen. This is my family – my wife Esme," he nodded towards the woman with whom he was holding hands, "and this is Edward and Rosalie." The bronze haired boy and my angel were not holding hands, so I gathered they were not a couple. Good. Brother and sister? They looked nothing alike except for their pale white skin.

Edward smiled at me as if in agreement with my thoughts and I couldn't help but smile, too, although cautiously.

"We want you to know that everything is all right. You won't be in any more pain," Esme tried to assure me.

Rosalie, my angel, looked at me curiously, but remained silent.

"What's happening to me?" Apparently I wasn't dead and I felt _alive_. My body was completely healed from the mauling – not a scratch to be found – and all of my senses were heightened. I could see _everything_ – dust particles in the air, the tiniest cracks in the wall paper. And I could hear _everything_ – birds chirping outside, the drip of water from a faucet in the kitchen, the weight of my body shifting the hardwood floor.

"You were being attacked by a bear three days ago. Do you remember that?" Carlisle asked.

The memory was fuzzy, but I remembered and nodded in return.

"Rosalie found you. You were going to die and she brought you to me so that I could..._change_ you." He spoke the word "change" delicately and I wondered what he meant by that.

"What do you mean change?" I always said what was on my mind. No need to play games. I knew _something _had happened.

Carlisle exchanged a look with Edward and he nodded. "We," he pointed to his family, "are vampires. And you have been changed into one as well."

I had been transformed into a vampire? I started laughing, Whether it was my tendency to be humorous in intense situations or nervousness, I wasn't sure. But, I just found it to be so...funny. I put my hand to my mouth to check for fangs, but found none.

Esme and Rosalie looked confused and turned to Edward for an explanation. They had not expected laughter.

"He believes you, Carlisle. But, he finds it amusing." Edward shrugged.

"You're not horrified?" Rosalie asked, breaking her silence.

I stopped laughing. Horrified? No. I looked at her, my beautiful angel who had carried me to Carlisle, the god who had saved me from death. I knew instinctively that I could trust Carlisle. He looked educated, refined and _kind_. And my angel? She, beautiful beyond description, had rescued me from the bear. We were standing in what seemed to be a farmhouse, there wasn't a coffin or cobweb to be seen. I knew I didn't fully comprehended what had happened to me, nor realize the impact of it changing my life forever. But, if _Carlisle_ and _Rosalie_ were vampires, how bad could it be?

When I didn't answer right away, Carlisle spoke. "Why don't we go downstairs into the living room and talk?"

I realized I hadn't moved, hadn't even blinked, during the time we had spoken, and I was still perfectly comfortable. I began to follow Carlisle out the bedroom door when I passed a window with streaming sunlight. In the sunlight my skin _sparkled_.

Whatever I was, I had a feeling I certainly wasn't _human _anymore.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"Why think about that when all the golden land's ahead of you and all kind of unforeseen events wait lurking to surprise you and make you glad you're alive to see?"**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

_

* * *

  
_

"Please sit down." Esme offered me a seat on the brown mohair sofa.

Although we were in a farmhouse, it was the fanciest farmhouse I had ever seen. The living room was on the extreme Western side of the house and had windows on three sides. It was filled with very expensive furniture, a massive fireplace surrounded by bookshelves, and a baby grand piano covered with framed photographs. If I were an expert at interior design, which of course I wasn't, I would've said that it was tasteful and elegant. Even more so, it felt like a _home, _giving me additional evidence that these vampires were not of the Bram Stoker variety.

The Cullens did not sit near me. Esme and Rosalie sat across the room in high back chairs, with Edward and Carlisle standing beside them. They looked at Edward expectantly. Did he know something they didn't?

I watched Rosalie. I hadn't been able to take my eyes off her. I was wondering what she was thinking, why she had that cautious expression on her face, why she wasn't sitting with me. But, more than anything, I started to notice the burning sensation in my throat. It felt like it was on fire, yearning for relief from something I could not quite determine. I heard the Cullens begin asking me questions, but I was not able to answer them.

Esme spoke in a low voice, full of concern. "Edward, he's not speaking," she said, stating the obvious.

"He's okay, Esme. He's just very, very thirsty. It's hard for him to think of anything else."

Thirst. Yes, that was exactly the word to describe what I was feeling. I was _thirsty_. But, for what? And how did Edward know?

Carlisle gave a regretful smile. "Emmett, I'm very sorry to tell you this, but you will not be able to see your family again. Your transformation will be very difficult for them to accept and we are bound by a code of secrecy..."

Anger boiled up inside of me. They wouldn't let me see my family again? Growling, I gripped the sofa and threw it into an adjacent window as if it weighed lighter than a feather. Before I could attack, however, I saw a reflection of myself in the mirror above the fireplace. It shocked me. My eyes were red and full of fury. My teeth glistened and appeared deadly. I didn't recognize myself.

I looked like a monster.

"I'm sorry," I apologized with my head down, truly embarrassed at acting so irrationally and impulsively. "I don't know what's come over me. Usually I have better manners...." Of course I couldn't see my family, not when I was like _this. _What had I become?

I glanced at the Cullens who were alert, but had not moved. They didn't seem the least bit surprised that I had destroyed their living room.

"We've all been through this Emmett. The first year or so of being a newborn is extremely difficult," Carlisle spoke with compassion. "_Newborns_, like _you_, tend to be erratic and their emotions are hard to control. After a few months, you'll start to feel and behave like yourself again."

Carlisle put into words what I could not - I didn't feel like myself. Something was _off_. While my mind seemed to be able to process many things at once, I _did_ notice how beautiful Rosalie looked in the cream colored dress she was wearing, I was overwhelming distracted by my _thirst_, as Edward had named it. With each passing moment it was becoming more and more unbearable. The human Emmett would've been making an effort to talk to Rosalie, trying to make her laugh, impress her. But, I wasn't. Instead, I had irrupted in a rage. I felt dangerous. I felt like I couldn't trust myself. This _thirst_ was dominating my existence.

Rosalie looked impatient. "Carlisle, he needs to hunt," she demanded. "We can talk about things later." She stood up.

"You're not going with him _alone_, Rosalie. Be serious," Edward chastised her, seemingly reading her mind. Rosalie puckered her lips and I almost expected her to stick her tongue out at him. Definitely a brother and sister squabble. But, she didn't disagree. In fact, she sat down.

"The burning you're feeling in your throat – that _thirst_ – is for blood. Our family has a chosen a different lifestyle from...." Carlisle seemed to search for the right word. "..._traditional _vampires. We call ourselves "vegetarians." Instead of drinking the blood of humans, we drink the blood of _animals_. It keeps us strong. And refraining from human blood helps us to form bonds of love with each other, to be able to be a _family_."

Carlisle reached for Esme's hand. "We are what we are. In time, you'll understand more of this. But we don't want to be monsters, Emmett. Even though it's our nature, we make a _choice_ to not be murderers."

"Would you be willing to try it?" Rosalie asked. "Try _our_ way of life? It will very difficult." She was warning me, but she seemed hopeful, too.

I knew that I would do anything to make Rosalie happy. I wanted to be the man....I was still a _man_, right?....that she deserved. Of course, I was willing to try it. For her, but also for me. I couldn't erase the image of myself in the mirror – it horrified me. I didn't want to be a monster, either. I saw the affection between Carlisle and Esme and the apparent unity they all shared. If this was my new lot in life, then I wanted to share it with the Cullens. I would follow their rules.

"I've always been up for a challenge," I replied. "And what greater challenge could there be than being a vegetarian vampire? I was born for this." I laughed and the others smiled.

"Emmett, I must say that you're taking this all in great stride," Esme replied. "I can't help but be surprised."

I shrugged. My human life had been full of constant change and adaptation. The fact that I had been transformed into a vampire didn't seem so bad. It was just another challenge the universe had given me. But, more than that, how could I explain that where Rosalie was is where I wanted to be, when I didn't completely understand it myself?

"I _do_ have questions about this life," I acknowledged in a serious tone. "And I don't want to treat it lightly, either. But, how bad could it be?"

The Cullens were silent, but I could see the amazement on their faces. Edward seemed impressed at my sincerity.

"We do have a lot to discuss," Carlisle finally spoke, "with many questions to answer. But, I think Rosalie is right – you need to hunt, Emmett. We'll all go together." The others nodded in agreement and ushered me through the kitchen and out the back door.

"Don't we need a rifle?" I asked, confused, as we started running through the woods empty handed.

Rosalie smiled and held my hand. "_We_ are the weapon, Emmett. I think you'll enjoy this."

I returned the smile, peace washing over me at her touch.

"I trust you," I replied, excited about the surprises awaiting us in the forest, but also excited about the surprises the _future_ would bring us. _Our_ future. Together.

* * *

Thanks for reading. More to come. Please review! -Jenn


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"They were like the man with the dungeon stone and gloom, rising from the underground, the sordid hipsters of America, a new beat generation that I was slowly joining."**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

* * *

As we ran through the Smoky Mountain forest, the Cullens formed a circle around me. Rosalie, on my left, holding my hand, Esme on my right, Carlisle in the back and Edward leading the way. I wondered why they were surrounding me, but the burning in my throat kept me from pursuing those thoughts. I felt wild with desire to quench my thirst and it was growing increasingly difficult to concentrate on anything else.

We were running _fast _and after several minutes I realized I wasn't winded or tired in the slightest. I felt like I could run at this speed forever and never need to stop. I liked that. The forest was quiet, the normal buzz of sounds silenced. Although five of us were running at lightening speed, my feet felt like they were barely touching the ground - no sound of crunching leaves. Any birds or squirrels or rabbits that normally roamed free had vanished, sensing the danger of our presence, no doubt.

After crossing a creek and traveling through a large mountain laurel, we entered a meadow and stopped running. "Can you smell it?" Rosalie asked.

I could, but it wasn't appealing in any way. My nose crinkled. "Yes, what it is it?"

"Elk," she replied, with a wink and a smile. We had only exchanged a dozen words or so since we met, but I felt irrevocably _tied_ to her. I smiled back. My thirst was a screaming distraction, but when I looked in Rosalie's eyes, I felt like myself again, if only for a moment.

Apparently, we stared at each other for quite awhile because I heard Carlisle clear his throat. A human gesture, not necessary for him. He was politely _interrupting_ our moment. "Rosalie, why don't you show Emmett how it's done?"

She let go of my hand and the separation from her felt like a punch in the stomach. I was surprised at such a physical response to her absence. As if on cue, a herd of elk passed through the meadow. With determination, Rosalie chased the elk, grabbing one easily by the horns, and bit into it with her razor sharp teeth. She drank the blood of the animal, draining it entirely.

While Rosalie was graceful as a hunter, she was also committing a savage act. Inhuman and dangerous. My senses perked, on guard, and unconsciously I formed a defensive pose. Without a spot of blood on her clothes, she returned to the group, who were still encircled around me. I relaxed.

I had a feeling that in my present state of thirst, if I had watched anyone else but Rosalie hunt, my newborn instincts would've taken over. I would have not only been on guard, but I would have also _attacked_ the vampire, not the animal. Maybe this was why Carlisle suggested Rosalie be the one to introduce hunting. He must have known that I would never hurt her, even in my crazed, newborn state.

"When we're finished, we always hide the remains," Esme explained, running to the edge of the meadow, and uprooting a tree, while Rosalie hid the carcass underneath. Esme put the tree back in place and it stood as if it had never been moved at all.

I watched in amazement. If small, delicate _Esme_ could uproot a Poplar tree, what could I do?

"Ready for a try?" Rosalie asked. I nodded.

We chased the herd though the forest, and when they were in view, I pounced. Instinct took over. The taste of elk blood was definitely not appetizing, but it did seem to soothe the burning. I captured another and then another, draining the blood from each body completely.

When I finished, I grabbed the tree closest to me, but in my eagerness ended up snapping it in half. On my second attempt, and with a little more control, I was able to uproot it. I couldn't help but be pleased at how _strong_ I was. Me, Emmett McCarty, was able to lift one hundred foot trees with the ease of plucking a blade of grass from the ground. If only I had this strength while working for the railroad!

Putting the dead elk underneath, I lowered the tree back into place, just as I had seen Esme do. "More elk, please?" I asked. The Cullens laughed.

"The bigger the animal, the better it tastes," Edward replied. "Let's find a bear."

I smiled and perked up. Excellent. A bear had almost killed me and I was suddenly itching for revenge.

As we continued through the forest, Rosalie took my hand in hers again, which I happily welcomed. When we began hunting it had been twilight, but now it was well after dark. Deep in the forest, the stars and moon were the only light, but I could see everything with perfect clarity. "We can see in the dark?" I asked to no one in particular. Fast. Strong. _Night vision_. I liked my new skills.

I was still thirsty, but my mind felt clearer and I was able to return to an earlier thought. Why were the Cullens surrounding me while we ran? They had resumed their earlier formation. And all of them, even Rosalie, seemed to be on high alert. "Is there a reason we're running like this?" I asked.

We stopped running.

"Do you always say what you're thinking?" Edward asked.

How did he know I was thinking this? I shrugged. "Yes."

"I like that," Edward replied. "It's refreshing.

Rosalie rolled her eyes and sighed.

"It's just a precaution," Carlisle explained. "There should be no humans in these woods, but if there were, it would be very tempting for you. Almost impossible to resist at this point. We're here to help."

I understood this. They were protecting me from myself. Feeling the way I was feeling _wild, crazed, on edge _I knew that if I was near a human, I would kill him. Plain and simple. Although I didn't know where we were in the forest, I knew Jack and my brothers were in the vicinity. If I killed one of the them, I could never forgive myself. I shuddered at the thought.

Rosalie rubbed my back in comfort, sensing my sudden sadness, but I growled and recoiled, ready to attack. I couldn't stop this reflex and was immediately ashamed I had responded to _her_ this way. My face filled with horror as I realized what I had almost done. She didn't look offended, but did take a step back away from me.

Carlisle continued, "Emmett, as a newborn you are _very_ strong. I suspect that even when you mature, you'll still be very strong. You _are_ dangerous, even to us, but we've all been through it. It will pass."

His earlier words replayed in my memory about the difficulty of being a newborn, how young vampires were erratic and hard to control. It explained why the Cullens seemed to be unusually alert, why Rosalie wasn't allowed to go hunting with me alone, and why they weren't surprised I had destroyed their living room in an emotional outburst. It touched me deeply, suddenly realizing the depth of their commitment to me. My newborn state made me unpredictable. At any moment I could attack one of them, and yet they were here helping me, even though I was dangerous.

Esme looked at me with kindness. "The first year is always the hardest, but in time you'll be able to feel like yourself again _and _be around humans. Carlisle is a doctor and works at a hospital. Rosalie and Edward go to school. Don't worry, you won't always feel this..._wild_." She spoke from her own experience and leaned against Carlisle as he put his arm around her shoulder, their actions confirming her words. They certainly didn't look as uncontrollable as I felt.

I didn't know what to say. Edward was watching me carefully, I noticed, but did not make a comment or ask a question. The Cullens did not seem to need a response from me, at least, not at the moment. They had experienced being a newborn, too. There appeared to be this unspoken _understanding _between us, which I appreciated.

Suddenly, in the air I could smell a new flavor. More appealing than the elk, but still not entirely mouthwatering. My throat burned in thirst.

"Bear time...he's all yours, Emmett," Edward said, gesturing to the north.

I watched the woods as a black bear crossed our path. It wasn't the one who had attacked me, obviously, but from now on every bear would represent the bear that had torn me to shreds. However, things had irreversibly changed. The bear was the prey and now I was the predator. With my new speed and strength, the tables had turned.

It was payback time.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"They have worries, they're counting the miles, they're thinking about where to sleep tonight, how much money for gas, the weather, how they'll get there--and all the time they'll get there anyway, you see." **_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

_

* * *

  
_

During the next few months the Cullens were exceedingly attentive, taking me hunting every few days and shielding me from humans. Their farmhouse was on several hundred acres of land outside Gatlinburg on the edge of the Smoky Mountain national park and thankfully no one had come to visit. While thousands of tourists visited the city every year, deep in the country, where the Cullens lived, were mostly poor farmers. There wasn't a lot of traffic and the house was several miles from the main road. It was a sanctuary for me, as I figured out my new life.

While Esme was a "homemaker" and stayed at home, Edward and Rosalie dropped out of school to stay at home with me, too. Carlisle continued working at the hospital, but apparently not the usual long shifts he was accustomed to working. During my first week with them, they explained the physiology of being a vampire (skin sparkles in the sun, no sweat or tears, no need for sleep) and unwritten rules (we must keep our existence as vampires a secret to outsiders). I listened for hours as they shared their stories of transformation, all heartbreaking in their own way. It was also revealed that Edward had a talent of reading minds. It unnerved me, at first, but explained why I often felt that he was answering my questions before I spoke them aloud. After that, it didn't bother me at all. I always said what I was thinking anyway.

We entered into an easy rhythm of life together, but my thirst was the central focus of my existence. Although it had been several weeks since I had been changed, I still didn't completely feel like my old self. Rosalie had kept her distance from me. It wasn't out of shyness or dislike. I sensed it was more that she was _waiting_ for me - waiting for me to pass through this inevitable crazed newborn phase. At least, I hoped so. There was no denying the connection between us, the way we looked at one another and the electricity that we both felt when we were together. Unfortunately, the thing that dominated my existence was not my attachment to Rosalie, but my thirst. Yes, I was able to distract myself by playing baseball with Edward or listening to sports on the radio, but I wasn't able to access the deep parts of my emotions and feelings. I wasn't able to laugh and tease and relax. I was cautious. I was always counting down the minutes until the next hunt when my thirst could be soothed, if only for a moment.

On an afternoon in November I heard Rosalie talk to Carlisle. "How can he build up a resistance to humans, if he's never around them?" she asked.

I was outside helping Esme build a garage, but I could still hear her clearly. They were in Carlisle's study and Edward was playing the piano in the living room. Even though I wasn't able to say everything I wanted to say to Rosalie, I was constantly aware of her every action.

"Is that a risk you want him to take?" he asked in return.

Rosalie seemed to think about this while the music stopped.

"Every creature is different, Carlisle," Edward replied from the living room. "You know it's a practice makes perfect kind of thing." He played a simple piano practice progression.

"It's been four months and his eyes are almost clear. He's ready to be seen by humans, so yes, I think it is time to take a risk," Rosalie added.

While Carlisle saw Edward and Rosalie as his children and they saw him as their father, everyone was equal in the family. During my short time with them, I had soon realized that no one forced anyone to do anything they didn't want to do. But, they still deferred to Carlisle's wisdom and wanted his approval.

"It's Emmett's decision. We'll ask him," was his unsurprising response.

I wasn't sure I was ready. I wanted to make Rosalie happy, though. If she thought I could do it, maybe I could.

Although they were aware that I heard their conversation, vampires have excellent hearing, Carlisle went through the formality of asking if I was ready to meet my first human. The three of them joined Esme and me outside at the half constructed garage.

"Emmett, would you like to take a trip into town?" Carlisle asked. "Perhaps, a drive to Shady Grove?" Gatlinburg was too populated. Shady Grove was a small town, with nothing but a gas station, diner and a few family owned farms. There would be humans, but not too many.

Rosalie and Edward looked excited, while Esme looked worried. I made a quick decision, hoping to please Rosalie.

"Sure!" I responded. "Are we going out to dinner?"

I laughed at my own lame attempt at a joke. The evening would be a success if I did _not_ have any "dinner."

Edward punched me in the arm and we walked into the house to retrieve our human props of coats and hats. Enough time had passed that I completely trusted the Cullens. There were no more ready to attack instant reflexes, like I had behaved with Rosalie when she tried to comfort me during my first hunt. I still cursed myself for acting like that. She hadn't made another attempt to touch me in any physical way, and I regretted my actions immensely.

We were ready to go quickly. The Cullen men were sharp dressers. No overalls for them. Carlisle and Edward both wore suits with ties and fedoras. Esme had gone into town to have clothing made for me soon after I arrived and I wore similar attire.

The ladies were beautiful in feminine, but simple outfits. Esme wore a blouse and wrap skirt, with a ivory shawl, seeming to not want to bring attention to herself. Rosalie wore a long, free flowing blue dress with a low, v-neckline and a fur coat. Her blonde hair was pulled back from her face into a bun. She looked stunning, as always, and seemed to welcome attention.

The five of us piled into the black DeSoto Sedan. Carlisle was in the driver's seat, with Esme beside him. In the back seat, I sat in the middle between Rosalie and Edward. I was so tall my head almost touched the ceiling. It felt like we were going on a family road trip, but we were definitely not a typical family.

As we drove through the Cullen's acreage to the main road I began to get nervous. I sighed and looked at Edward. _I'm_ _nervous, _I thought.

"I know. You'll be okay," he assured me.

Carlisle looked in the rear view mirror and smiled. "You told us you like adventure, right? Think of it that way."

For the first time in four months, twelve days and sixteen hours, Rosalie touched me, reaching over to squeeze my hand. Peace immediately washed over me. This woman had an affect on me that no one had ever had before. I felt such gratitude for _all _of their support.

Soon after we turned on to the main road, a new smell drifted through the air. Very faint, but very mouthwatering. Venom filled my mouth. Rosalie firmly held my hand. "People in a car," Edward commented casually, "coming home from church."

The smell became strong and stronger. In the instant our cars passed, I wanted to rip the door off ours and chase the other car. I imagined jumping on the roof and ripping people out, holding them in my arms and.....the images in my head became violent. The monster in me was raging strong.

But, I did not attack. I was able to hold my breath and distract my thirst by thinking of the Yankee roster, recalling it in reverse alphabetical order.

Esme turned around in her seat. "Good job, Emmett. I'm proud of you."

Although we hadn't yet had an official discussion about my place in the Cullen family, I responded, "Thanks, Mom."

Esme beamed.

We continued driving for a few hours, passing several cars and I became more familiar with the human scent. Being in the car, surrounded by the Cullens, offered some protection, but every time I smelled a human, my mouth filled with venom and my throat was set ablaze. We had been making small talk about the beauty of Tennessee, when I interrupted the conversation.

"Is it always such an effort?" I asked. "Will it always be this difficult?" I didn't have to explain what I was talking about.

"For all of us, but Carlisle, yes," Edward joked. Carlisle's work as a doctor, with the constant temptation of blood, was something very few vampires could endure. "We've had years of practice resisting, though. You'll learn what you can and can't handle. It's difficult, but not impossible."

Carlisle steered into a gas station to fill up the car. It was late at night and I was surprised it was still open. Esme and Rosalie went inside to use the "ladies room," which was, of course, an unneeded but necessary human facade, while Edward and I stayed with Carlisle as he pumped the gas. I was keenly aware of the old man sitting behind the counter inside the store. I tried to swallow the venom that had flooded my mouth.

"Do you want to go inside with me to pay for the gas?" Carlisle asked cautiously when he finished. It would mean an actual face to face encounter with a human.

The Cullens had protected me for so long. I knew there was a monster inside me, but I had to face the music, eventually. I had hunted the previous day and knew I was as ready as I would ever be at this point.

"Okay," I replied, feeling encouraged at the thrill of a challenge.

Edward walked with us, as we made our way inside the little store.

"Good evening," Carlisle greeted the man. Rosalie and Esme joined us at the counter, plopping down a pack of gum and two magazines. "12 gallons of gas and these please."

The man looked at us warily and was clearly afraid when he saw me. I could imagine what he was thinking. I hovered over everyone at 6 feet 5 inches and my muscles were even more pronounced after my transformation. The Cullens were attractive, glamorous people, with an unspeakable air of danger surrounding them. We were clearly out of place in this country town.

I avoided looking at the man and concentrated on not murdering him.

"We're on our way to Gatlinburg." Edward explained, probably answering the man's thoughts. "Can you tell us the best way to get there from here?"

With Edward's gift of mind reading, he was able to protect the Cullens. If someone was suspicious, he could distract them, as he was clearly doing now.

The man mumbled directions, while quickly ringing up the purchases. "$2.10, please," he gulped.

Carlisle paid and Rosalie picked up the gum and magazines. "Thank you so much," she gushed. The man's mouth dropped open as he stared at Rosalie as she walked out the door. He had forgotten the rest of us.

I should've been furious at the obvious oogling Rosalie was receiving, but I was more impressed than anything. She was definitely better than Edward at distraction.

As we walked to the car and I realized I hadn't killed the man, I was happy. My first human encounter was successful. No "dinner" for me. I was about to give Edward a high five when he spoke so low only a vampire could hear. "Trouble. Police coming."

A police officer appeared from around the corner, walking toward us, a flier in his hand. "Excuse me, can I talk to you folks for a second?"

Inches from the car, we stopped. "Hello officer, is there a problem?" Carlisle asked calmly, with a smile. He interacted with humans every day at the hospital and I knew he was respected. He wasn't nervous at all. "My family and I are on our way to Gatlinburg."

"No problem, sir. We're just looking for a young man who has been missing for a few months. Have you seen him?" The officer handed Carlisle a piece of paper with a sketch of a man's face and description.

I looked at the paper and immediately recognized the face. It was me.

**MISSING PERSON **

**Emmett McCarty**

**Age: 20**

**Height: 6 feet 5 inches**

**Weight: 250**

**Last seen working for Little River Railroad Company. **

**Please contact the Sevier County Sheriff's Department if**

**you have seen this man. Family offering reward for information.**

The officer looked at me curiously and I lost all restraint. I lunged at the man and Edward and Carlisle were unable to stop me.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"And for just a moment I had reached the point of ecstasy that I always wanted to reach, which was the complete step across chronological time into timeless shadows, and wonderment in the bleakness of the mortal realm, and the sensation of death kicking at my heels to move on, with a phantom dogging its own heels..."**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

* * *

Warm, delicious, completely satisfying. I wasn't able to stop once my teeth pierced his neck. Instinct had taken over and no one had to tell me what to do. Everything in my being seemed to be designed to kill and I drained the body of blood completely. _So this is what I've been missing,_ I thought with pleasure. The burning in my throat was soothed.

During my feeding frenzy, I ignored the Cullens, but was still aware of their presence. Esme and Rosalie went inside the gas station. Edward was on the lookout to see if anyone had witnessed the attack. Carlisle stood by and did nothing but wait.

When I finished, I looked at the body crumpled on the ground. My teeth had not simply left two tiny holes in his neck, it was _ravaged_. Remorse overcame me as I realized what I had done, but confusion followed. Missing Person. Emmett McCarty. _My family was searching for me?_

With lightening speed Carlisle picked up the dead body and put it in the trunk of the car. Our eyes locked and I could see the disappointment on his face. For a moment, I almost snapped out of my frantic state. I was so disturbed that I had broken the rules of his family, the rules to which I had agreed to so casually. _How bad could it be? _I remembered saying. Obviously, very bad. I had become a murderer.

In the air I smelled another human, the gas station attendant, sitting behind the counter inside the store.

By some miracle, the man had not noticed the attack. Esme and Rosalie were engaging him in conversation and he was completely distracted.

"I want him," I growled as a warning.

I rushed towards the store, but this time Carlisle and Edward were able to stop me. My newborn strength would not be held back for long, so they spoke quickly to convince me to not attack.

"Emmett, you don't have to take another life. You have a choice," Carlisle pleaded.

"The man's name is Carl. He lost his wife last year to cancer. He's taking his grandson fishing tomorrow," Edward added with his inside knowledge.

A human memory flashed in my mind, my brothers and I fishing in the summer at Lake Lure, with rods made of tree limbs, barefoot, sitting on the dock. My dear brothers who had issued a missing persons report for me. I calmed down, slightly.

"He smells so good. I don't think I can stop...." I replied, boiling with desire.

"Don't breathe," Edward suggested, tightening his grip on me.

I nodded and stopped breathing. This was a vampire skill I had not practiced much, but it was instantly helpful. Without the smell of temptation, I was able to calm down. Esme and Rosalie joined us and I allowed Rosalie to ease me into the car. The others followed and Carlisle drove us away from the scene of the crime as quickly as he could without causing suspicion.

"I'm so sorry," I muttered, as soon as the gas station was out of view, and I was able to breathe again. "When I saw that the missing person search was for me, I lost it. I don't know what happened...." I put my head in my hands and closed my eyes.

"It's alright, Emmett. It could have happened to any of us," Carlisle responded. Although I couldn't see his face from the back seat, he was no longer disappointed. "I'm proud of you, son. You showed tremendous self restraint by not attacking the second man."

No one had ever called me _son_ before. My father died when I was a baby and while Jack had been a fatherly figure, he treated me as a younger brother, not as a son. I had expected Carlisle to scream at me for screwing up, to pass judgement at me for being so weak. But, he had called me _son _and told me he was proud of me. It was more compassion and understanding than I deserved.

The others nodded in agreement with Carlisle. Esme turned around in the front seat and reached back to smooth my hair. Rosalie leaned against me and Edward patted me on the arm.

"It was a risk to tempt you with humans so soon after being changed. I'm sorry for encouraging it. I should have known better," Rosalie whispered. Edward seemed startled and raised his eyebrows at her apology. Clearly, he was not used to being surprised, or at Rosalie saying she was sorry.

I lifted my head and turned to wrap my arms around Rosalie and pulled her into a full embrace. She was trying to comfort me, but now I was comforting her. The electricity and desire I felt for her was almost tangible. We held one another for a moment and no one in the car spoke.

"What will we do with the body?" Rosalie finally asked, breaking the silence and untangling herself from our embrace. Although the blood was gone, we could still smell the human remains seeping from the trunk.

"I'll take care of it," Edward offered. Unlike the others, I knew Edward had spent a few years away from the Cullens, giving into his vampiric nature. He had the most experience of all of us in the disposing of dead bodies.

Because Carlisle had been driving the DeSoto at top speed, within a few minutes, we arrived at the Cullen farmhouse. "We'll have to leave immediately. When a cop goes missing, even in the backwoods of Tennessee, it's noticed," Carlisle announced.

Everyone nodded in agreement and as we got out of the car and walked inside, they began discussing plans of moving. Edward immediately ran off on foot to dispose of the body and "borrow" a moving truck from Gatlinburg. Carlisle, Esme and Rosalie would pack up the artwork, music, books and clothing. Furniture could be replaced.

I wasn't sure where I fit in with this plan. My mistake was the reason they had to leave. Was I invited to go with them? With Edward gone, I couldn't ask him what the others were thinking. They were all working with such a focused speed that I seemed to be forgotten.

I didn't know what to do or how to help, as the others were clearly busy and I did not have many of my own belongings. Walking on to the front porch, I sat in a rocking chair. I hadn't quite learned how to "act" human yet, and sat like a statue, with no blinking or movement, staring into the darkness. My mind replayed the attack over and over - the first taste of delicious blood and the ravaged dead body. My mouth filled with venom and my thirst returned at the thought of blood. The murder seemed natural and horrific at the same time. I should be locked up, in jail maybe, far away from where I could hurt anyone else, I thought. And my brothers! I felt intense sadness at the thought of my brothers who were searching for me. Had they quit their jobs to find me? Were they okay?

Filled with thirst and guilt for that thirst, interspersed with worried thoughts about my brothers, I'm not sure how long I sat there before I heard the grumble of an engine. Edward had arrived with the moving truck.

Leaving my catatonic state, I left the porch and went to greet him.

"So, you took care of the body?" I asked awkwardly.

Edward nodded. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I feel _guilty_. Worried."

"That's good, Emmett. It shows you have some humanity left in you. Monsters don't usually care."

"I wouldn't give me too much credit. I liked it and would probably do it again, if I wasn't very careful."

Edward laughed. "That's what I like about you, Emmett. You're honest."

I appreciated the compliment, but wasn't comfortable with him laughing so easily about my capacity for murder.

Knowing what I was thinking, he responded. "As a vampire you, Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, me – _we_ are predators. We are designed for murder. And we do all we can to fight it – to resist the desires that are natural for us. Some are better than others. But, at the end of the day, it's who we are. When we mess up, make a mistake like you did tonight, we feel remorse, we feel guilty. And we resolve to not do it again. None of us treat our potential for murder lightly, but we can't have it paralyze us either."

Although I accepted my transformation into being a vampire without an argument, in that moment I understood the complicated life the Cullens had chosen for themselves. I admired it now that I had experienced firsthand the temptation of our nature as vampires and their choice to fight against it. My new nature thirsted for human blood. Sometimes I would fail in my resistance, but I couldn't let the guilt overcome me.

"Yes, it is, indeed, _complicated,_" Edward replied to my thoughts, with a sigh. He looked towards the house and grinned. "You should talk to Carlisle. There's something he wants to ask you."

Carlisle was in his study, sitting at his desk. Although we had only been at the house for a couple of hours, the room was completely packed away into brown cardboard boxes. The books and artwork were gone, white sheets hung over the furniture. I knocked, but in eagerness, my knock punched a hole in the door. I still needed practice controlling my strength. I cringed. "Sorry."

Carlisle laughed and motioned for me to enter. "I'm writing my resignation letter to the hospital. It seems my wife's mother is very ill and we're moving to Florida to take care of her." He winked at the lie.

He had to quit his job because of me. I hadn't realized this. "I'm really sorry, Carlisle," I responded. "I'm sorry you have to leave your job and home because of me."

Carlisle shook his head. "Don't feel like it's your fault, Emmett. We have to move every few years anyway. People tend to get suspicious when they age and we don't. We actually already planned for our next location, so it's no trouble at all."

"When are you leaving?" I asked.

"We're leaving at dawn and heading to Washington state. There's a great variety of wildlife in Hoquiam."

Carlisle noticed my unease. "Is there a problem?"

I didn't know how to say it, so I just spoke my mind. "What will happen to me? Where will _I_ go?"

Carlisle stood up from his seat and walked around the desk to stand in front of me. He put his arms on my shoulders. "Of course, you're invited to go with us, Emmett. I think it's time we have a discussion about your place in our family." He walked to the door. "Esme, Edward, Rosalie, would you join us in my study, please?"

Within seconds the three of them appeared in the room. I nodded my head in appreciation. Even after four months of being a vampire, I was still impressed at our ability of speed.

"He gave this official invitation to all of us," Edward warned. "It's kind of endearing."

Carlisle ignored the comment from his son and smiled. "Most vampires are nomads, avoiding the human world completely other than to feed. They often travel alone or only with their mate. We've chosen a way of life where we can be a _family _and live together. For the last few months you have lived with us, you have followed our way of life and we've been delighted at your company. You have become like a son to me and Esme," Carlisle turned to his wife and she nodded in agreement.

"Emmett, we love you and we would be honored if you joined our family."

They waited expectantly for my response.

The Cullens had shown me such kindness and compassion during my time with them. They had saved me from death and taught me about my new life. Although I had been a distracted newborn, Esme and Carlisle had become the mother and father I never had. I loved them, too. And I couldn't imagine the thought of being parted from Rosalie. I had to be with her. It was as simple as that.

But, although the memories of my human family were slipping away, I couldn't allow my brothers to continue to search for me, wondering whether I was dead or alive. I couldn't move across the country. My allegiance to my human family was still fierce.

"I'm sorry," I replied. "But....I can't."

* * *

This chapter was packed with big moments – Emmett's first kill, his conversation with Edward, the invitation to be a Cullen. It was a lot to put into one chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"A pain stabbed my heart, as it did every time I saw a girl I loved who was going the opposite direction in this too-big world."**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

* * *

Their disappointment was evident. For the first time since I met Carlisle, I saw sadness on his face. Esme looked like she was going to cry. Rosalie was shocked. Edward was unreadable. They had expected me to say yes.

"I see," Carlisle replied carefully. "Well, if that is your decision, we will respect it. Our way of life isn't for everyone."

Knowing that I had hurt the Cullens was more than I could bear. "It would be a privilege to join your family, Carlisle. But, I..." Images of my brothers passing out fliers in Gatlinburg, asking people if they'd seen me, flashed in my head. "I need to make sure my brothers are okay. They don't know if I'm dead or alive. I can't move across the country without saying goodbye."

Esme walked over to me and took my hands into hers, giving them a gentle squeeze. "Emmett, when you join our family, _your_ problems become _our_ problems. We'll help you find your brothers."

"Is that the only reason you won't join our family?" Rosalie asked quietly, with her head down, avoiding eye contact. "Because of your brothers?"

She was clearly upset by my refusal. It pained me to think she had considered my refusal to join the family as a personal rejection of her. Did she think I didn't want to be with her?

I looked at Edward to answer my question and he raised his eyebrows as if to say, "Well, of course she does."

Rosalie was my angel. Our connection was unmistakable. We hadn't had a private discussion about our relationship, I cursed myself for that, but I thought we had an _understanding_.

"Yes," I said with conviction and she lifted her head to look at me. "That is the _only_ reason." I looked deep into her eyes as I spoke, hoping the meaning behind my words was being communicated.

She gave me a small smile in return and I sighed with relief that I had been successful.

"Join us," Edward encouraged. "I always wanted a big brother."

Esme, who was still standing by my side, put her arm around my waist. "_Together_ we'll find your brothers and let them know your safe," she said looking up at me with hopeful eyes.

Together. I liked that. My life had been changed by the Cullens in more ways than one and I couldn't imagine eternity without them. They had offered me their constant love and support through my transformation and were now offering to help me find my brothers. What else could I ask for? I didn't have to think much more about it.

"Emmett Cullen," I said out loud. "It has a nice ring to it."

Smiles broke out on all their faces and the joy in the room was palpable. Esme hugged me, followed by a high five from Edward and a "come hither" look from Rosalie that made me weak in the knees. Carlisle stretched out his hand to shake mine.

"Welcome to the family!"


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

"_**I felt like a million dollars; I was adventuring in the crazy American night."**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

* * *

The East Tennessee sky was overcast, with snow in the forecast. Gatlinburg was filled with tourists in town for the holiday season, but Edward, Rosalie and I sat in the moving truck on an empty side street. Esme and Carlisle were in town to discreetly find information about the location of my brothers. We were waiting for their return.

I looked at Edward on my left, sitting in the driver's seat, and Rosalie on my right, checking out her reflection in the side mirror.

"You guys are like my _bodyguards_," I joked with a hearty laugh, thankful my sense of humor was returning.

"Yeah, guarding you from ravaging bodies," Edward teased back.

I laughed again. It was funny because it was true. No one wanted me to make another mistake. Before we left in the morning, we had gone hunting and I was not thirsty, but we weren't taking any chances, either.

"Brother, don't be so mean." I shook my head. "You'll hurt my feelings."

Edward smirked and rolled his eyes.

"Where are Esme and Carlisle now?" Rosalie asked, not impatient, but simply curious.

With concentration, Edward had been able to read their thoughts even though they were a couple of miles away. They had, of course, avoided the police station, but had started at the local office of the Little River Railroad Company.

"They were told Jack McCarty took a leave of absence four months ago. All they were given was a forwarding address - a hotel in Pigeon Forge."

"Should we drive to Pigeon Forge, then?" I asked.

"No, they decided to call first. He's no longer there. Sorry, Emmett," Edward said sincerely.

Dead end. I sighed, but wasn't completely discouraged. He had to be _somewhere_ in the county.

"Carlisle wants to meet us at a coffee-shop on Main Street. It's not very crowded. Are you up for it?"

"Yes, if my bodyguards will go with me," I agreed with a smile.

Although, I knew the temptation would be great, something had changing within me when I officially became a Cullen. Knowing that we were a team and that I had their complete support gave me even more of a belief that I could meet any challenge. It wasn't out of cockiness, but from a confidence that came from being truly loved.

Rosalie and I held hands as we walked down the street. We hadn't discussed our relationship, but I felt a new closeness between us. Maybe it was because she knew I wasn't going anywhere, I don't know, but I was happy about it.

The three of us together caused many second glances from people passing us on the street. Edward and Rosalie seemed oblivious to the attention, but it took me off guard.

"Why are people gawking at us?" I asked. "Do they know what we are?"

"Don't you know we're very attractive to humans? Our faces, our scent, everything about us draws them in. We're irresistible." Rosalie patted her hair, catching her reflection in a store window.

"_You're_ irresistible, darling," I replied with a wink.

Rosalie giggled and Edward groaned at our flirting.

We made our way into the empty coffee-shop and noticed Carlisle and Esme sitting at a table. Instead of leading me towards them, however, Rosalie pulled me towards a photo-booth in the corner.

"Let's have our picture taken together Emmett!" Rosalie squealed with delight. I don't think I'd ever seen her so excited.

"Can vampires even be photographed?" I wondered quietly.

Rosalie slapped me on the arm. "Silly myth."

She pushed me into the booth and then followed, but the small space couldn't hold the two of us.

"I think you'll have to sit on my lap Rosalie. Is that okay with you?" Please say yes, I thought.

"Just this once," she purred.

We took several photos together – some serious, others playful. For the last frame, I stole a kiss on the cheek and she laughed.

"Young love!" I heard Esme declare from their table across the coffee-shop She was delighted. "Edward, I do hope you find that one day."

He snickered in response.

We waited for the photos to develop, holding hands and whispering in each other's ear. When they were ready, we paid the attendant, and joined the others at the table. I wanted Rosalie to sit on my lap again, and have her close to me, but she sat next to Carlisle and I took the empty seat next to Edward. I was disappointed. Was she playing hard to get?

Rosalie showed Esme the photos and she commented on how pretty her hair looked in the picture.

"Any news?" I asked Carlisle. A waitress appeared, asking if we needed anything. I held my breath as a precaution and shook my head. Rosalie ordered tea.

"Jack left the hotel last month. That's all we know."

Edward looked thoughtful. "We probably have a day before we need to leave town. The police will soon be investigating the "disappearance" of the cop, no doubt. What can we do to maximize our time?"

"We could call my brothers in North Carolina. Surely, they'd know where Jack, Randall or Walter would be," I suggested.

"Good idea, son," Carlisle replied and I smiled. I still felt pleasure in being called _son_. "Let's find a pay phone."

Carlisle stood up and I followed. We didn't have to go far because there was a pay phone in the back of the coffee-shop by the bathrooms. Carlisle picked up the receiver and dialed zero.

"Hello, Operator. Asheville, North Carolina please." Carlisle fed the phone coins and waited on the connection. It took a minute before another operator answered.

"Yes, I need to be connected to a Mr....." Carlisle waited for my answer.

"Donavon McCarty on Broad Street."

"Donavon McCarty on Broad Street."

Carlisle fed the phone with more coins and we waited.

"It's ringing!" Carlisle exclaimed. I waited nervously. Would I hear my brother's voice?

"Hello?" a deep male voice answered. It was familiar, but in a distant way.

"Good afternoon, sir. My name is Kevin O'Leary. I'm trying to get in touch with Jack McCarty. He's an old army buddy of mine and we've lost touch. Would you know how I can get ahold of him?"

Carlisle was really good at telling lies. I guess he had to be, having to keep his true identity a secret. I was impressed.

"My brother moved to Gatlinburg a few years back to work with Col. Townsend. I don't have a phone number for him, but I do have an address. Do you have a pencil?"

The voice was familiar, in a fuzzy, distant memory kind of way, but I knew it was definitely Donavon. We had not been very close, Jack had been the one to primarily raise me, but he was clearly a McCarty with his easy going, friendly, trusting attitude towards strangers.

"Yes, thank you. Go ahead, please." Carlisle did not have a pencil, but he did have a perfect memory, and listened to the address. "Thanks again. I appreciate your help."

"Anytime. Goodbye." Donavon replied and the line went dead.

Carlisle put the receiver back on the hook and looked up at me.

"Ready to see your brother?"


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"We turned at a dozen paces, for love is a duel, and looked at each other for the last time."**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

_

* * *

  
_

I lifted the sunglasses I'd been wearing and gave Carlisle a confused look. "You told me I couldn't see him like_ this_."

My bright red newborn eyes had been slowly fading thanks to my diet of animal blood, but my recent mistake had caused my eyes to brighten to red again. While my large, menacing frame didn't cause many humans to make eye contact with me anyway, the sunglasses were a precaution. Rosalie had insisted and I couldn't refuse, although I thought sunglasses were more for Hollywood stars, not country boys like me. Regardless, I couldn't see my brothers, sunglasses or not, without revealing my new nature.

"He can't see you, but you can see him," Carlisle responded. "I have an idea."

We walked back to the table to join Rosalie, Esme and Edward.

"What if you wrote him a letter and one of us delivers it for you?" Carlisle suggested. "Jack lives on Baskins Creek Road, outside of town on the edge of the forest. We can easily hide in the woods and you'll be able to see him without him seeing you."

Edward nodded. "I could say that I worked with you out West and you asked me to personally deliver the letter when I was in town."

I considered the plan. I didn't want my presence to alarm or be a danger to my brothers. I was still a newborn and very dangerous to humans. Although I was calm in this empty coffee-shop, I was keenly aware of every action the waitress and short-order cook made and constantly swallowed the venom from desire forming in my mouth. I had tasted my first human less than twenty fours ago and the pleasure from it still resonated within me, no matter how much I despised it.

But, I wanted to see Jack with my own eyes. I wanted to see relief on his face when he heard the news I was alive. He was the one who always checked to see if I finished my homework, and would recognize my handwriting and know the letter was legit. The plan was so simple I didn't know why I hadn't thought of it months before.

"Sounds good," I agreed.

Carlisle pulled a fountain pen from his inside coat pocket and Esme produced stationary and an envelope. They were prepared for this plan, apparently.

As I held the pen and looked at the blank paper, I realized the importance of what I was about to do. I was saying goodbye forever to my brother who had raised me, saying goodbye to the family to whom I had been fiercely devoted my entire life.

But, I had a new life now and a new family that I had embraced. By writing this letter and saying goodbye I was transferring my devotion from the McCarty's to the Cullens. It was a significant moment and I was suddenly overcome with emotion.

Edward, understanding my thoughts, stood up. "Let's give him some privacy, shall we?"

The others agreed and left the table as well. "We'll be close by if you need us," Esme said patting my arm. She and Carlisle walked to the counter to pay our check.

Rosalie slipped out of her seat gracefully and began walking towards the bathroom. I grabbed her hand.

"Rosalie, would you stay with me?"

She smiled and nodded and sat down beside me.

I began to write.

_Dear Jack,_

_ You once told me that if you woke up one morning and I wasn't there, you'd _

_ understand. I hope you meant that. I'm sorry for not contacting you sooner. _

_ There's a lot I can't explain, but I want you to know I'm happy and safe._

I looked at Rosalie and she kissed me on the cheek, paying me back for the kiss I had stolen earlier. I smiled. Our relationship was simple and uncomplicated. We understood each other.

There were things we needed to discuss, but there was so much that we didn't have to say. Our connection was strong, cemented the moment we first laid eyes on each other.

I continued writing.

_ I've gone out West to look for work and it's unlikely I'll ever see you again. I'm _

_ sorry for not saying goodbye in person. Please give our brothers my love._

_ Thank you for always taking care of me, Jack. I have a new life now, but _

_ I'll never forget you._

_ I love you._

_ Emme_tt

"What do you think?" I asked Rosalie.

"It's a good letter, Emmett," she replied. She glanced over at Edward, who was pretending to be interested in a tourist map, and back at me. "And I want to be the one to deliver the letter to Jack. I'd like to meet him."

"Thank you, Rosalie. It would mean a lot to me if you met Jack." I felt tremendous joy at this offer. Jack was my past, Rosalie was my future. It seemed fitting that the two should meet.

She smiled thoughtfully. "I think it would lessen the pain of him saying goodbye to you if he knew we were together."

From across the room we heard Edward sigh in annoyance, in response to her words. Rosalie ignored him. I could imagine what they were both thinking. Rosalie was aware of her beauty and knew that Jack would be proud of me for having such an incredible woman in my life. Edward thought she was vain for considering that. But, I didn't. I saw it as an act of love from Rosalie on my behalf and appreciated it.

Although Esme and Carlisle heard the conversation and the slight change of plans, when they joined us at the table, we politely discussed it again, and coordinated the execution.

Rosalie, Edward and I would drive the moving truck a few blocks from Jack's house where Carlisle and Esme would meet us. Rosalie would then drive the DeSoto to deliver the letter while we waited and watched from the forest surrounding Jack's house.

I was reaching the limit of resisting the human temptations surrounding me and Edward, carefully scanning my thoughts for such an alarm, warned the others, "It's time to go."

Carlisle and Esme walked with us back to the truck, as extra protection because I was feeling weak, and it reminded me of our first hunt in the woods when the family had surrounded me while running. Their patience and understanding seemed endless when it came to dealing with my newborn state.

Rosalie, Edward and I left the downtown area of Gatlinburg, driving a few miles until we parked in an empty church parking lot on Baskins Creek Road. Carlisle and Esme arrived minutes later.

"Thanks, again Rosalie. I really appreciate this," I said, handing her the letter as she got in the car.

"No need to thank me, Emmett. It's my pleasure," she replied sincerely.

Edward seemed amazed at her sincerity and almost said something in response, but a look from Esme silenced him. Years later they would tell me that at that moment Esme was explaining (in her thoughts), "Edward, she's in _love__**!**__" _He was amazed, and a bit confused, because he had never seen Rosalie act so selflessly before.

Regardless of whether or not Edward thought Rosalie was self-centered, she was still his sister and he was a protective brother.

"We'll be watching if you need help," Edward reminded her.

Rosalie rolled her eyes. "_Thanks_, Edward," she replied, and not with the sincerity she had given me.

Carlisle laughed at his children and Rosalie sped off in the DeSoto. The rest of us ran through the woods to the edge of Jack's small clapboard house. Our running was much faster than the car and we waited for Rosalie's arrival.

"He's home," Edward announced. "And he's thinking of you."

I sighed and kicked a rock, sending it flying through the forest.

Carlisle, Esme, Edward and I climbed the trees across the road from the house to get a good view of the front door. Within a few minutes, the DeSoto pulled up and Rosalie got out of the car, seeming perfectly at ease.

She walked to the front door and knocked.

A man answered the door. Jack! A wide smile broke across my face at the sight of him. He looked the same as I had always known him - tall, with curly brown hair and a full beard, wearing overalls. But, worry was etched on his face and I frowned.

"Jack McCarty? I'm Rosalie Hale."

* * *

All these snow days have given me a chance to write! Instead of rushing through the end, I'll probably write a few more chapters, at least. Thanks for reading and please review!


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"What is that feeling when you're driving away from people and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing? — it's the too-huge world vaulting us, and it's good-bye. But we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies."**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

_

* * *

  
_

"Yes, how can I help you young lady?" Jack scratched his head, probably wondering what such a beautiful woman was doing at _his_ doorstep. He looked tired and defeated.

"I have news from your brother Emmett," Rosalie replied.

His mouth dropped open in shock. "Emm....Emmett?" he mumbled. "Emmett is alive? Please, please come inside..."

Rosalie walked inside the house and the door closed. I cursed at not having a visual, wishing vampires could see through walls in addition to all our other skills. There was a large picture window in the living room and Rosalie walked in front of it, surely knowing that I would want to see Jack's reaction to the letter for myself. "That's my girl," I whispered with a smile.

"I have a letter from Emmett for you," she said handing Jack the letter.

With trembling hands, he opened the letter and began to read. A tear ran down his cheek and I heard Esme gasp in sympathy.

"He's relieved, Emmett," Edward told me, translating his thoughts. "Happy."

When Jack finished reading, he started laughing like he couldn't stop - deep belly laughs that I had heard all my life, proving that he was, indeed, happy.

She pulled one of the photo-booth photos out from her purse. "This is for you," Rosalie said, handing Jack the photo. The pictures would be proof without a doubt confirming the words of my letter – that I was happy.

"I can see that you're his sweetheart. You make a mighty fine couple."

"Thank you," Rosalie replied demurely. "Emmett is a wonderful man," she sighed sincerely in delight.

If a vampire could blush, I would have turned a deep shade of scarlet when I heard this compliment. Rosalie had never _said_ anything about what she thought of me. I _felt_ her love, when we held hands or looked into each other's eyes, but there had been no _declarations_. Other than a bit of flirting, I had never told her in words what I thought about her, either. I was disappointed she beat me to it, but, not too disappointed. I was glad she thought I was wonderful. I thought _she_ was wonderful, too.

I looked at Edward, sitting on the tree limb next to me, expecting him to roll his eyes at my lovey-dovey thoughts, but he stared straight ahead watching Rosalie and Jack. He seemed to not have heard, although I knew without a doubt he had. I was distracted for a moment, wondering if he had ever connected with someone the way I had connected with Rosalie. Edward finally made eye contact with me and shrugged his shoulders.

"A conversation for another day, Emmett," he said. He didn't look sad, but he seemed...resolved.

I nodded and turned to watch the house.

Jack was pacing from side to side looking at Rosalie and then at the letter and back again. The defeated man that answered the door was gone and in his place was a man who had come back to life.

"He's gone out West, huh? I told him he should do that." Jack was thoughtful for a moment, but continued speaking quickly. "We've been really worried about him. I quit my job to look for Emmett when he didn't come back from hunting in August.....I suppose I overreacted. I've just always been the protective older brother, you know?"

Jack suddenly realized Rosalie was standing watching him pace. "Forgive my manners, we don't get a lot of lady visitors. Please take a seat. Can I get you anything – coffee or tea?"

She remained standing. "Thank you, Jack, but I can't stay long. I have a train to catch soon, but I wanted to stop by to meet you."

"Rosalie doesn't like lying to Jack. She's uncomfortable," Edward told us."She's going to be quick and leave before he asks questions she can't answer."

I understood this and appreciated her wanting to be as honest as possible. What was she supposed to tell Jack anyway? _ Emmett is a vampire and wants to suck your blood. _No, that wouldn't do.

Edward was surprised. "Rosalie has never had a problem lying before," he remarked to Carlisle and Esme. "Why would she care now?"

Esme gave Edward the same expression she had earlier when Rosalie had spoken so sincerely to me. I wasn't sure what she was saying in her thoughts to Edward, but it made him respond with a simple, "Oh." I was curious, but would ask later.

Panic flashed across Jack's face.

"You have to stay until Walter and Randall get home," he insisted. "They'll want to meet you...please stay."

The desperation in Jack's eyes made Rosalie sit down on the sofa. "Of course, I'd love to meet the rest of Emmett's brothers."

She began asking about our family in North Carolina and the reasons behind Jack, Randall and Walter and me moving to Gatlinburg, although she had already heard the story from me months ago.

Edward looked at me carefully. "Jack doesn't want Rosalie to go. She's his only connection to you. He doesn't want to say goodbye."

I winced. This was going to be harder than I expected. My quickly fading human memories reminded me of a conversation Jack and I once had – when he told me that if I left he wouldn't hold it against me. He knew my craving for adventure and challenge and seemed to know my time with him was short. Because of this, I thought my leaving would be easy for him. Receiving the letter would just be reassurance that I was alright. But, I was wrong. No matter how ready you are to say goodbye to someone you love, it's always a difficult thing to do.

Carlisle, noticing my distress, tried to comfort me. "He'll be okay, Emmett. He just needs a few moments to process it all. It was very clever of Rosalie to get him to start talking. It will calm him down."

And, indeed, it had. Jack started to laugh, ending his story of our travels and switching to a childhood story about me, which, of course, Rosalie had never heard before. Instead of distress, I started to feel embarrassed.

I groaned. "That's my big brother in his element – making fun of me."

Rosalie seemed to sincerely enjoy listening to the story, laughing at the funny parts, which only encouraged Jack to exaggerate and talk even louder. The McCarty's loved to tell stories and Jack was known for being long winded.

We heard the roar of a engine and soon a pick up truck pulled into the driveway of Jack's house. Two men stepped out. With hunched shoulders and heads down, they were obviously tired and I couldn't be sure of their identities. Their weariness turned to alarm when they heard laughing coming from inside the house. Both men's heads shot up and I could clearly see that it was Walter and Randall.

"What's going on?" Walter asked. "Did somebody break in?"

Apparently laughter wasn't a normality in their household.

They ran inside and stood in shock at the sight of the beautiful woman sitting on the sofa. My brothers were not as gentlemanly as Jack had been when greeting Rosalie. Walter examined every inch of her body and Randall started drooling.

Jack ignored their gawking and rushed over to them, holding out the letter. "Emmett's alive! This is his girl Rosalie – she brought us the news. Read it for yourself!"

Walter and Randall instantly straightened up and devoured the letter. Smiles broke across their faces and the three of them started jumping up and down cheering. I had never seen my brothers so open with their emotions and it touched me.

Rosalie stood up. "Walter, Randall, it's nice to meet you." She held out her hand, but Randall pulled her into a hug, followed by Walter who spun her around.

I glanced at Edward to tell me if their physical affection had pure motivations. I wasn't the jealous type, and I knew my brothers weren't perverts, but they were still_ men_ and I had seen the way they looked at her.

"They're just happy, Emmett. Nothing more," Edward assured me and I chuckled at my protectiveness.

"Rosalie, thank you so much for coming! You don't know how worried we've been," Walter exclaimed smiling.

"We just got back from Knoxville, passing out fliers and talking to the Knox county sherriff. Emmett has a lot of explaining to do!" Randall added.

The huge smile on Walter's face started to fade. "Where has he been all these months? Why didn't he get in touch sooner?" All three of my brothers looked at Rosalie for answers.

I glanced at Carlisle. If Rosalie felt uncomfortable lying, would she be able to avoid answering these questions?

"Don't worry. She'll have to give them _some_ answers," Carlisle said calmly. "But, she can handle this."

I should have had more confidence because Rosalie did not appear rattled at all. In fact, she seemed to be as comfortable as at a family reunion.

"He feels really bad about that," she replied, with a smile. "I'm sorry he didn't explain that in the letter," she said carefully. "When Emmett and I met everything changed, for both of us." She seemed embarrassed. "Emmett's been quite..._distracted_," she added sheepishly.

Jack grinned and Randall and Walter started to relax. There was no doubt in their minds that Rosalie would be a distraction to any man. "Lucky dog," Walter muttered, on the verge of gawking again.

My brothers thoughts had no doubt turned to wild imaginations about what _distracted_ could mean.

Edward tensed up for the first time that evening. "It's not like _that_," he remarked to no one in particular, but confirming my suspicions. An emotion that I hadn't felt since my transformation began to surge inside me. It wasn't jealousy, but was similar to protectiveness. I wanted to defend Rosalie's _honor_. She was willing to risk her reputation as a lady for me. It was 1935 and people had very traditional ideas about how a woman should act. For Rosalie to even _hint_ at impropriety was scandalous. I knew my brothers wouldn't think less of her, but it still made me uncomfortable for anyone to think Rosalie was less than a lady.

Rosalie glanced out the window towards us hiding in the woods and back at my brothers.

"I have good news. Emmett and I are getting married!" she said exclaimed.

My brothers looked genuinely happy at the surprising news. "Aww....welcome to the family!" They all hugged her again, with brotherly affection. I knew if I had been the one giving news of my engagement to be married my brothers would have congratulated me with punches, not hugs.

In Jack's embrace, Rosalie looked out the window again, knowing we were watching, and gave us a wink.

"Huh?" I replied in confusion. Carlisle and Esme laughed, knowing this announcement of getting married was news to me as well.

"Congratulations! I didn't know you were getting _married_! Can I be best man?" Edward joked, slapping me on the back.

I didn't know vampires _could_ get married, but if that's what Rosalie wanted, I would do anything to make her happy, of course. But, was she lying to distract my brothers from wanting answers to his questions? She _did _wink. Or was it a not so subtle hint? I couldn't be sure.

Rosalie laughed at their excitement. "Thank you, but I must apologize. That's part of the reason he left without saying goodbye. My parents insisted that they meet him before he officially proposed, and he rushed out of town to get their approval. We'd known each other awhile and he was..._impatient_." Her emphasis on the word impatient suggested that I had not been distracted in the way my brothers imagined. They nodded their heads in understanding.

"I wanted to meet you, so I suggested that I deliver his letter personally. Will you forgive me?"

It was an understandable excuse to me and I knew it would make sense to my brothers. Who could resist the wishes of such a beautiful woman, especially when she was the ultimate prize? The McCarty men easygoing and quick to forgive, especially when beautiful women were involved. They believed her completely and I felt bad for doubting Rosalie's ability to dazzle and defend her "reputation."

"Of course, we understand!" Jack replied, shaking his head. "Well, I'm happy for him and for you.

Our other brothers will be tickled to hear about this – Emmett marrying such a pretty lady!"

Rosalie tossed her long blonde hair behind her shoulder, "That's so sweet of you, Jack," she gushed. She squeezed Jack's arm and my gruff older brother actually blushed.

"She's really laying on the charm," Edward muttered, annoyed at the thoughts he was hearing from my brothers. Although I didn't know their complete history together, he seemed to despise whenever Rosalie found pleasure in others acknowledging her beauty. Carlisle gave him a look that stopped him from making further comments. I supposed Carlisle and Esme had a few years of experience silencing the disagreements between Edward and Rosalie. It didn't annoy me when Edward made comments like that, though. I saw it as brother-sister squabbles, not as a man disrespecting my woman.

"She's _good_ at it," I responded, impressed. Edward reluctantly agreed.

My brothers and Rosalie chatted a few more minutes, until she politely reminded him of her excuse about having a train to catch. They walked her outside.

"It was really nice to meet you all of you," she said, giving Jack, Walter and Randall a kiss on the cheek, which made them all blush.

"Rosalie, it was a pleasure to meet _you_. Please let Emmett know we miss him and we're glad he's okay. I know you'll be very together. He's a lucky man," Jack replied. "Y'all keep in touch," he added, opening the car door for Rosalie.

Rosalie made no promises, but smiled and with a wave, backed the car out of the driveway, and drove off down the dark country road.

My brothers stood in the driveway long after she left. In their minds, I was happy, had a job out West, and a beautiful woman in my life – all the things they could want for their little brother. As I watched them walk back into the house, I whispered my own goodbyes. They hadn't been given many answers for my disappearance, but I was happy to see relief on their faces. When the door to Jack's house closed, I said my final goodbye to my life as a McCarty.

My brothers were at peace and so was I. My new life could begin.

* * *

Special thanks to my awesome beta BellaSwanCullen1918 for her help! Please read and review!


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"We were all delighted, we all realized we were leaving confusion and nonsense behind and performing our one noble function of the time, move."**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

_

* * *

  
_

My new family and I didn't waste much time getting out of town. There was still the issue of my "mistake." It had been twenty-four hours since the police officer had gone missing and surely by the next morning an investigation would begin. Edward had taken care of the body and it would never be found, but we were the last people to be seen with the man. Although Gatlinburg was a booming tourist town, with thousands of people visiting every year, we would certainly be remembered by the gas station attendant and a clear description of us would be given by him - five pale skinned, well dressed, very attractive people driving a DeSoto. If we lingered any longer in town, we would be found and questioned. My family was good at deception and distraction, but it wasn't a hassle we wanted to deal with either.

Rosalie hadn't been lying when she told Jack there was a train to catch. There was a train, except, it wasn't for us. Back in the truck, Edward explained we were shipping our belongings via train instead of driving it cross country. Our destination was Hoquiam, Washington and it was almost 3,000 miles away. I hadn't been informed of the details of the trip, but was happy to hear it didn't include driving a moving truck.

Carlisle and Esme met us at the train station at the freight depot. Edward and I began transferring the boxes into furniture sized crates, while Carlisle went to take care of the paperwork. Rosalie and Esme could have easily helped, they had the tremendous strength of any vampire, and it would have been as strenuous as tossing a pillow for a human, but they stood by our side and watched. Esme would occasionally make comments such as "_Be careful_" or "_Don't break my vase, Edward_."

It was late in the evening and there weren't many humans milling around, but a couple of laborers were helping us load the freight. I couldn't believe Esme thought Edward would be careless with her belongings, but as our mother figure, that was the role she played. A human mother would be worried about her vase. And while Rosalie and Esme were both capable and stronger than the men helping us, ladies of their situation would never participate in such manual labor. It was a lesson on the importance of keeping up appearances. We weren't humans, but we were living in a human world, and I had a lot to learn about fitting in.

With the humans watching, we had to work at human speed, but I didn't consider my immense strength.

When the last crate was nailed shut, I picked it up and placed it on the platform, forgetting that it weighed several hundred pounds. The two laborers looked at me with awe and suspicion. Realizing what I had done, I flexed my muscles and gave a smile, showing all of my very sharp teeth. Their eyes widened, and they stumbled off, muttering something about having another job to do.

Edward laughed and Rosalie smirked. Esme was also amused, but chastised me. "Emmett, you _scared_ those poor boys."

"Sorry, Mom," I replied, but wasn't very sorry at all. I wasn't a bully, but it was funny to me to have such strength and the power of intimidation.

Carlisle returned and he and Esme went to fuel the DeSoto. They carefully suggested I not join them, with my last visit to a gas station ending in disaster. Edward left to return the truck he had "borrowed." We would rejoin within half an hour at the city center and be on our way out of Gatlinburg.

I was nervous. Rosalie and I were alone for the first time since my transformation.

She looked up at me curiously. "Don't you find it interesting that Carlisle thinks the car needs gas, even though we filled it up last night?" she asked.

"Maybe he forgot?" I suggested.

"Carlisle does _not_ forget things. Vampires have perfect memories."

Realization swept over me. Edward had a valid excuse, but Carlisle and Esme wanted to give Rosalie and I a chance to be alone together.

"Oh," I stammered and then smiled, "Well, then, _yes_, that is very _interesting_."

I held out my arm. "Shall we?"

She smiled and linked her arm in mine and we began to walk down the empty city street. Our destination was a least a mile away, but we walked slowly, even by human standards. Being alone with Rosalie was precious. While we were almost always together, we were always chaperoned by at least one member of the family. Even in the farmhouse, privacy was impossible. Vampires have excellent hearing and there weren't any private conversations. I hadn't realized what I had been missing, though. It had been much easier to focus on my newborn distractions than to figure out what was happening in the deep parts of myself. But now that I was alone with Rosalie, I realized how nice it was to have her all to myself. Our time alone would be brief and I wanted to make the most of this opportunity.

"Rosalie, I want to thank you for how you handled Jack. I know he's at peace now, and that means a lot to me."

"I would do _anything_ for you, Emmett," she said simply.

At that moment I wanted to sweep her into my arms and ravish her wish kisses. I didn't fully understand the force of my emotions. It was more than being an unstable newborn. I _recognized_ the emotions – attraction, love, lust, devotion, awe, joy, peace. The emotions were overwhelming, like the rush of a waterfall, but yet solid and real. Every moment I was with Rosalie I felt _complete_. How did I put that into words?

"And I would do anything for _you_, Rosalie."

"I know," she replied softly.

I considered what to say next. Rosalie seemed content to walk in silence, but there were things I needed to communicate, even if I didn't know exactly how to express them.

"How long did it take you to feel "normal" again?" I finally asked. "As a newborn, I've been so _distracted_. It's been hard to think of anything else but my thirst."

I hoped she understood what I was implying. The human Emmett would have been trying to win Rosalie's heart from the moment he met her. But, although the vampire Emmett had that desire as well, his thirst was the overriding priority. In small ways I had been able to show her I cared for her, but not with any grand gestures or declarations. Even now, walking with her, I was aware of the burning in my throat and faint smell of humans in the distance. It was taking a lot of restraint to not give in to temptation.

Rosalie was thoughtful. "For me, it took at least a year. I tried very, very hard to hold on to my humanity, but it still took time."

"Do you remember your human life? My memories are so hazy and I've only been changed for a few months. I feel like my old life was a dream."

"Yes, I remember _everything_ about my human life. A side effect of our transformation is loss of human memories, but if you make an effort, you'll be able to remember, if you think about the memories often enough."

"You think about your human life often? That's why you can remember everything?"

She nodded. "I didn't accept this transformation as easily as you did." She gave a sad smile and looked at me. "If I had the choice, I would be human again. That's the reason I kept my last name as _Hale_ instead of Cullen - in remembrance of my human family and life."

This was surprising news. I hadn't realized she felt this way. She was correct that I had accepted it easily. With every new skill I discovered I had as a vampire, and my massive strength that I was just understanding, I was almost happy about my new nature.

"And yet, you chose to change _me_?" I wasn't confused by the seeming contradiction, but I was curious. She wanted to be human, but changed me into a vampire willingly.

Rosalie looked bashful for the first time since I met her. It was adorable and I wanted to kiss her.

"It was a purely selfish thing for me to do. I wasn't strong enough to change you myself. I would've killed you. So, I brought you to Carlisle and begged _him_ to change you."

My eyes widened. More surprising news. I always assumed Rosalie was the one to change me.

"When I first saw you, I thought you were an angel," I replied. "I thought I had died and gone to heaven. But, then the burning began and I thought God was judging me." The crystal clear memories of the burning made me cringe.

"I'm sorry you had to endure that, Emmett," Rosalie said sincerely, caressing my arm.

"When I heard your voice, I knew everything would be alright, and I was determined to make it through so I could see you again."

Rosalie laughed, "You're sweet."

I didn't want to pressure her, but she hadn't fully answered my question, so I tried again.

"Why did you rescue me that day when the bear attacked? Why did you choose _me_?"

A wistful expression came over Rosalie's face. "You reminded me of someone I once knew."

"Who?" I asked.

"A beautiful baby boy named Henry."

I laughed and feigned offense. "You thought I looked like a _baby_?" Doubtful, considering my large, manly frame.

Rosalie ignored my question and hastily looked at her watch. "Carlisle and Esme will be wondering where we are. We should hurry." I could see her countenance had turned from open and playful to guarded.

I stopped walking and turned to look at her. "I'm sorry if I asked too many questions, Rosalie. I want to respect your privacy. Please forgive me." The possibility that she was angry with me was unbearable.

She starred off into the distance and shook her head. "There's nothing to forgive, Emmett." For a moment she looked like she was going to continue speaking, but she stopped herself. Instead, she smiled.

"Race you to city center?" she challenged.

Rosalie was a master at distraction. She knew I couldn't resist a competition.

"You're on," I agreed and we both took off running as fast as humanly possible.

Our conversation was not finished, but I had to concede it was over for now.

* * *

Thanks to my beta BellaSwanCullen1918 for her help in crafting the story!

Um, I don't mean to be insecure, but lots of people are reading, but not many people are leaving reviews. Is it because you don't like it? Or it went in a direction you didn't expect? Be kind, but let me know what you think!


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"Our battered suitcases were were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life."**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

_

* * *

  
_

Carlisle, Esme and Edward were waiting for us at the center of town, but the DeSoto was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's the car?" I asked as Rosalie and I jogged towards them. The race had ceased to be competitive when I became distracted by how alluring Rosalie was when she ran. Running at top human speed wasn't much of a challenge, anyway.

"As soon as we left the gas station, we realized keeping it wasn't an option," Esme replied.

"The police will be looking for it since it was at the scene of the crime," Carlisle explained. "We had to get it rid of it, unfortunately."

I seemed to be the only one confused. "How will we get to Washington without a car? Are we taking a train?" The idea of being in a small space filled with humans for a long period of time was both horrifying and attractive at the same time. My mouth filled with venom at the thought.

"No, we're going to run," Edward replied, interrupting my thoughts by apparently speaking Carlisle's thoughts out loud.

"We're going to _run_ 3,000 miles?" I asked incredulously. I knew that it was possible. We could run for hours and not be tired. We didn't need to eat or sleep. But, looking at my family with their expensive clothes and refined tastes, I couldn't imagine them running across the country.

"Definitely not something I'm looking forward to doing," Rosalie complained with a sigh.

"It's the fastest way to travel," Esme encouraged. "If we can avoid humans, it should only take three or four days."

Carlisle explained the details of how _running_ was faster than train or car. It was 1935 and an extensive interstate highway system had not been developed. With only country roads connecting cities, driving out West could take weeks. And while the train system was better suited for comfortable cross-country travel, it would be too tempting for me as a newborn. As vampires we could travel five miles in five minutes when we ran at top speed.

Edward looked over at a man walking a dog who was starring at us. "Perhaps we should continue this conversation elsewhere?" he suggested. Apparently the five of us standing in a circle in the middle of a park late at night looked suspicious.

Carlisle took Esme's hand and began walking. Rosalie and I followed, with Edward behind us. The man with the dog stopped starring and turned down a side street.

"I have a proposal," Carlisle offered. "In celebration of the addition of our newest family member and the upcoming Christmas holidays, why don't we take a family vacation?"

Esme's eyes lit up. "We've never done that before!"

"I've been interested in buying property in Jackson, near Yellowstone National Park. We could spend a couple of months skiing and enjoying the wildlife the park offers. Emmett would have more time to build a resistance to humans and we could have some quality family time. I work too much, anyway. I need a break." He squeezed Esme's hand.

"That's a good idea, Carlisle." Edward agreed.

"What do you think Emmett?" Rosalie asked. The hopeful expression on her face clearly showed she thought it was a good idea as well.

"I've never been skiing before," I answered. "It sounds like fun! Let's do it!" It didn't matter to me what we did, as long as I was with Rosalie.

Esme squealed with glee "A _family_ vacation!" Her motherly instincts would be delighted by this, of course. Esme never grew tired in spending time with her children.

"Once we're in Jackson I'll send a telegram to the hospital in Hoquaim and let them know my arrival will be delayed," Carlisle told us. "It shouldn't be a problem."

"You'll love it, Emmett. I've read that Yellowstone can be very secluded. We'll have privacy to see how strong you really are," Carlisle continued, excitedly. He had told me months before that many vampires had special gifts. He suspected mine was _strength_, but we hadn't had the time or place to test it out properly.

Carlisle looked back at Edward. "And you'll have some peace of mind. No humans around for miles. A vacation for your crowded mind."

"Thank goodness," he replied with a grin.

I imagined that he could also add, "Except, I still have to hear all of _you_." But, Edward didn't complain about not having peace from hearing _our _thoughts.

"What about me, Carlisle?" Rosalie asked. "How will _I _benefit from this vacation?"

Before Edward could reply with something snarky about Rosalie only thinking of herself, I jumped in.

"You get to spend quality time with _me_," I joked, slinging my arm casually around shoulder.

Rosalie laughed. "Yes, I'm very lucky." she replied sarcastically, but put her arm around my waist, pulling me closer to her.

Esme smiled at us, but didn't say anything.

Our walk had led us to the edge of town and Edward gave us the go ahead that it was clear. No one was watching as we entered the woods. We ran northwest for several hours, Edward leading the way. With his gift, we were able to avoid humans and stay in the forest, avoiding the sun. Most of the time we ran in silence.

Carlisle had once mentioned _nomads_, vampires who chose to live alone and not blend in with humans, traveling from place to place. While we were running, I felt like we were indulging in a bit of _nomadic_ behavior. Edward wasn't playing Chopin on his piano, Rosalie wasn't admiring herself in a gilded mirror, Esme wasn't embroidering, and Carlisle wasn't reading a medical journal. We ran with focused, intense speed. Our hats and coats had been discarded and our clothes were splattered with mud from our travel. At one point, when I tried to impress Rosalie by knocking down a tree, my shirt had become torn. We weren't exactly animals, but we didn't seem to be much like humans, either. It didn't bother me at all, however. I enjoyed the freedom to run as fast as I could and explore my vampiric senses – following smells and my eyes taking in and examining a million different things at once. It felt easy and natural.

Somewhere in Nebraska I heard thunder and it began to rain.

"Ugh!" Rosalie shrieked loudly. "My hair!"

I laughed. Rosalie was the one who wanted to be human more than any of us and her outrage at the rain messing up her hair reminded me why the nomadic lifestyle wasn't her preference.

"Are we nearly there?" I asked Edward.

"We're near Lincoln," he replied. "So, I'm guessing we have about thirteen more hours until we arrive?"

"Sounds about right," Carlisle agreed.

The rain eventually subsided and when we entered the state of Wyoming the sun began shining. For several miles we ran through a dry river bed, without the protection of trees to hide us. The warmth of the sun on my skin felt extremely good. I looked at my sparkling family and everyone was smiling in pleasure.

I still wasn't someone who over thought or analyzed things, but I felt more respect and love for my new family at this moment. From the beginning I knew the sacrifice they made in choosing a vegetarian lifestyle and living life with humans, but now I realized the burden it must be to always be protecting their identity as vampires. They didn't normally enjoy the freedom of being outside on a sunny day. They didn't normally enjoy running as top speed. They were always on guard and always pretending, except in rare moments like this one, when they could relax and be themselves.

It felt like _vacation_ had truly begun.

* * *

Thanks to BellaSwanCullen1918 for her great feedback, as always. Thanks for reading!


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"Every now and then a clear harmonic cry gave new suggestions of a tune that would someday be the only tune in the world and would raise men's souls to joy."**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

_

* * *

  
_

Upon arrival in Cheyenne, we decided to get cleaned up and take care of a few matters of business. Rosalie insisted on checking into a hotel, even though we were only planning to stay in town for a few hours. She wanted a shower and to be able to fix her hair. Nomadic vampire travel was not her style and we all agreed to check into The Plains Hotel downtown.

Despite our disheveled appearance, the man at the front desk didn't blink twice as Carlisle reserved rooms - a suite for him, Esme and Rosalie and a room for Edward and me. He tipped the bellboy when he came to assist us with our luggage, mentioning that we'd take care of it ourselves. The generous amount was enough distraction for the bellboy from asking any questions about our missing bags.

Rosalie immediately went to the suite to freshen up, while Esme went to the department store next to the hotel to buy a new wardrobe for the family. It wasn't proper for gentlemen to do business without suits and hats and Esme insisted we didn't go anywhere until she returned with proper attire.

The business at hand was buying a new car and whatever supplies we would need during our vacation, and securing the property Carlisle was interested in. The real estate office for the property in Jackson was located in town and there was paperwork needed to be signed. I was surprised that Carlisle would buy a house sight unseen, but I trusted his judgment.

We sat in the lobby waiting for Esme's return. Carlisle and Edward discussed what kind of car the family should purchase, occasionally asking me for my opinion. Although there weren't many humans milling around, I was focusing very hard on not noticing the ones that _were_ present. I was amazed that Carlisle and Edward could chatter away, seemingly unaffected by the temptations surrounding us. Sometimes humans passing by would glance at us and I always avoided eye contact. My eyes were still fading from crimson and would alarm anyone who got a clear view of them. My throat was on fire with thirst, but it felt almost manageable.

"I'll go ahead and telegram the hospital in Hoquaim, while we have the time. But, first I'll stop by the bank to get money for the car. Don't you think $600 will be enough?"

My jaw dropped open. Six hundred dollars was almost as much as I made in a year working for the railroad. "Where do you get all your money, Carlisle? Gee whiz!" I whistled. Maybe it was rude to ask about money, but I was curious.

"It's not rude," Edward answered my thoughts. "We're family now. Our money is your money."

My eyes widened. "Seriously?"

Carlisle shrugged. "Of course. When we get to Hoquaim I'll set you up with an account. Over the years I've saved my physician's salary and made wise investments. Edward had an inheritance from his human family. Money isn't something we have to worry about."

Edward nodded in agreement.

Their nonchalance and generosity regarding their wealth impressed me. So many humans protected their money with a vengeance, but I supposed after existing for almost three hundred years Carlisle had realized what truly mattered in life. Money could make life more comfortable, but it couldn't make you happy.

Carlisle and Edward continued their discussion and I began to get a bit anxious, missing Rosalie, even though it had only been fifteen minutes since we had parted. I started tapping my foot to distract myself, knowing I would see her soon, but felt silly for missing her the way I did. Edward cleared his throat to get my attention and when I noticed, he nodded towards the ground. My tapping had put a large dent in the floor board.

I laughed. "Sorry! I didn't know my own strength." I pulled the large stuffed chair I was sitting in forward to cover the damage.

A few more minutes passed and just as I was about to suggest I go upstairs to check on Rosalie, Esme arrived with an abundance of shopping bags. Careful eyes would have noticed someone of her size should not be able to carry such a load and we rushed towards her to "relieve" her of the burden.

We took the elevator upstairs to our hotel rooms to shower and dress in our new clothing. The sun outside was shining in full force and we needed to wait for cloud coverage to do our business. Carlisle and Esme went to their suite and Edward and I went into the room next door.

I had learned that vampires really didn't need to shower for body odor purposes. We always smelled "good" to humans, and only occasionally needed to wash our hair when it was dirty from particles in the air like dust or rain.

After Edward was finished, I went into the bathroom and starred at myself in the mirror. My brown curly hair had remained the same since my transformation, as well as my muscles, except my skin was like marble. It was also very pale, with purple shading under my light crimson eyes. I looked intimidating and scary, but I didn't feel like I looked like a monster anymore. I wondered if Rosalie found me attractive.

Before allowing my thoughts to wander further about what Rosalie thought of me, I laughed at myself and washed the mud out of my hair. Esme had picked my size perfectly, buying me trousers, a clean pressed button down shirt, and a tweed blazer. She also had provided a new pair of shoes. I dressed quickly and walked out to model for Edward.

"Do you like it?" I asked in a sing song voice, twirling around.

"You look smashing," he replied with an unimpressed tone. He smirked. "Rosalie will love it."

Edward was dressed in a double breasted suit, much more formally dressed than my casual wear. Esme knew us well. Edward was a more eloquent person than I was and the look suited him.

Edward frowned. "You're eloquent in your own way, Emmett," he assured me. "But, I don't think they have suits on the rack in _your_ size. For men like you, suits are always custom made."

"I _am_ a big guy," I laughed in agreement. "I wonder how strong I am. Want to test it out?"

I lunged for him and we wrestled around the room, smashing furniture in the process. I almost felt bad, but since Carlisle said we didn't need to worry about money, I knew it could be replaced. Even with my natural and newborn strength, Edward was hard to catch. He was _quick_ and it was fun to see if I could catch him.

Amidst our laughter and sounds of furniture being destroyed, we heard a knock at the door and stopped wrestling. "It's Rosalie," Edward informed me, and I straightened up and raced to the door.

Opening it quickly, I forgot to breathe upon seeing her. Every time I saw her, it was like the first time. I was filled with delight and awe. She looked beautiful in her new violet colored dress, wearing pearls and red lip stick, her hair swept up in a perfect twist. Seeing my reaction of pleasure at the sight of her, she smiled.

"What are you doing in here? It sounded like a construction zone."

She walked inside and I closed the door. She shook her head at the broken furniture. "Boys," she muttered in disbelief, not understanding our entertainment in wrestling one another.

Edward ignored her and looked out the window. "It looks like the clouds have returned. It's probably safe to go outside. Rosalie, do you want to go with us to buy a car?"

Her eyes brightened. "Yes! What model are we getting this time? Hudson, Lafayette, Nash...." she rattled off a dozen different names.

"You know _cars_?" I asked, surprised.

She nodded. "I do. I find them fascinating – figuring out how they work, what makes them run faster."

"It's the one thing Rosalie and I have in common," Edward added, with only a trace of sarcasm.

There was so much to learn about my new family. I would have never guessed thoroughly feminine Rosalie was a mechanic at heart. Rosalie and I starred at each other, smiling, until Edward sighed. Apparently, these "moments" we had between us was becoming an annoying habit to others.

"Shall we go?" Edward suggested, picking up his hat.

I offered my arm to Rosalie and we followed Edward out of the room.

"I missed you," I whispered to Rosalie, bowing my head close to her face.

She looked up, her mouth inches from mine. "I missed you, too," she whispered in return.

I didn't think I could resist kissing her, but Esme joined us in the hall and Rosalie pulled back. It was a wise decision. I didn't want our first kiss to be in front of our family, either.

"Rosalie, will you come shopping with me?" Esme asked. "Jackson only has a general store. It won't have the selection of things we need. Having two of us shop will make it more productive."

Rosalie almost began to pout, but restrained herself. "I was going to go with Edward and Emmett to buy a car." she explained.

"Oh," Esme replied. "I didn't realize. That's okay, I'll go by myself...."

"No, I'll go with you," Rosalie insisted upon seeing Esme's disappointment. "There will be more cars to buy when we get to Washington."

Being away from Rosalie for an hour had felt like eternity. Demanding more time apart seemed like too much to ask for. I started to feel anxious at the thought.

"Emmett, you can come with us, if you like," Esme offered.

Rosalie looked hopeful. It made me realize her wanting to go with us to buy the car was also partly because she wanted to spend time with me.

"No, I need Emmett's help to buy the car." Edward rolled his eyes. "It'll only take an _hour. _Surely you two can be away from each other for an _hour_."

"Edward," Esme chided softly. "One day you'll understand."

Rosalie glared at Edward. "Let's go, Esme," she said, grabbing her hand, and pulling her down the hall.

"Bye Mom, bye Rosalie," I called as they walked into the elevator.

Esme smiled and Rosalie just starred at me until the doors closed.

The look she gave me made me feel a little hot and bothered. I wiped my brow, even though I was unable to sweat. "Wow," I exclaimed. "That woman drives me crazy! How have you been able to resist her Edward? She's lived with you for two years!"

Edward gave a disgusted look. "She's not my type," he replied simply.

I was surprised. I hadn't guessed that Edward was...

"I'm not like_ that_," Edward corrected. "I'm just not attracted to Rosalie. Yes, she's beautiful, but...there's no connection between us."

I couldn't fathom how Edward could not be drawn to Rosalie when she was the most wonderful, beautiful, amazing creature that ever existed. Certainly any single and available man would want her.

Seeing my confusion, Edward asked, "Hasn't Carlisle explained how mating works for our kind?"

I shook my head. "No. But, I'm still a newborn. He probably thought I should only concentrate on one thing at a time." I was intrigued. "What do you mean by _mating_?"

The elevator dinged and it opened with a man and woman getting out. Edward walked into it and I followed. He pushed the button for the lobby and the doors closed.

"When a vampire finds his or her....for lack of a better word.._.soul mate..._it's instantaneous. I'm not sure when or how it happens, but it's permanent. Vampires don't change, but when they fall in love, when they _mate_, it's fixed for eternity," Edward snapped his fingers in emphasis. "Obviously it hasn't happened for me, but Carlisle would be the one to talk to about it. He mated with Esme."

"Do vampires get married? Is that how they make it official?" I remembered Rosalie's news to Jack that she and I were engaged. And I had seen Carlisle and Esme's wedding album.

Edward laughed. "Only in our family, I think. From what I've experienced, most vampires are more _primal _in their mating. It's mostly a physical thing. No need for ceremony. Since we Cullens are more in tune with our humanity because of our vegetarianism, Carlisle says we can actually experience _love_ and _devotion_. I mean, just look at Esme and Carlisle. They adore each other. "

I listened with no immediate reaction.

The elevator doors opened and we walked into lobby and out the main doors into the city street.

"I will give you a tip, though," Edward said, putting on his hat. He paused for dramatic effect.

"Rosalie really, really wants to get married."

My eyes widened, confused for a moment. "To who?" I asked.

Edward rolled his eyes. "To _you_, of course. She's your mate."

* * *

Dun dun dun. I like dramatic breaks, what can I say? I think Emmett and Rosalie probably mated when they first saw each other, but I think Emmett's needed time to realize this. If you've read anything about vampire mating on the lexicon or elsewhere, please let me know. I know it's referenced a bit in the books, but can't remember where exactly. Thanks for reading!


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

_**"And for just a moment I had reached the point of ecstasy that I always wanted to reach, which was the complete step across chronological time into timeless shadows...."**_

_Jack Kerouac, On the Road_

* * *

Edward's words echoed in my mind.

_She's your mate._

Other than the memory of the pain of my transformation, my sharpest, clearest memory was when I first laid eyes on Rosalie. The moment our eyes locked, I had felt a sense of _completeness_. It was as if a piece of myself had been missing all these years and when I saw her, the final piece had been placed and the puzzle was complete. Meeting Rosalie was the last thing I did as a human, and while my other human memories were a blur, I could remember it clearly because it had overwhelmed me with such peace.

Over the past few months it had been too difficult to try to interpret my feelings. Whenever I attempted to do so, my thirst had distracted me. But, the connection between us was undeniable, even though I hadn't been able to _name_ it. I just knew how I felt when I was with her. Even now, _away_ from her, she was on my mind and I anxiously missed her. I wasn't complete unless I was with her. Whether my transformation had forfeited my soul, I didn't know, but the explanation of _soul mate_ made sense. Why had it taken so long for me to realize this?

I groaned. "I'm such a fool."

Edward patted my arm. "You've been distracted by your thirst. Don't feel bad about yourself. It took almost a year for Carlisle and Esme to figure out they were destined for each other. It happened long before they confessed their commitment to one another."

"It's like a light bulb just came on in my head. Click." I snapped my fingers. "I've been aware of the connection I felt with Rosalie from the moment I saw her, but when you just said, _"She's your mate,"_ it all suddenly made sense. Of course, she's my mate. Rosalie is _the one_."

This time, I was the one who paused for dramatic effect.

"I love her, Edward. I _love _Rosalie."

He smiled in response, but there seemed to be sadness in his eyes. Surely, it wasn't from jealously. He made it quite clear he had no interest in her as a mate. So why was he _sad_? Understanding my thoughts, Edward changed his expression quickly.

"She loves you, too, Emmett. I've seen a change in Rosalie that I never expected to happen. For the two years she's been part of our family, her number one priority has been herself. Yes, she's loyal and devoted to us, but her thoughts are mainly about herself. But, since she found you....well, let's just say _you_ are the most important thing to her."

My entire being was filled with joy. I wanted to jump up and down like a little kid waiting to open presents at Christmastime. "Really? Tell me more! Does she..." I started listing all the questions in my head regarding our relationship. Edward had illuminated the most important thing – Rosalie was my mate – so maybe he could shed light on all the other questions I had about her.

Edward held up his hand. "Whoa, whoa, whoa....I can read her mind, but I'm not going to tell you all of her thoughts. Integrity, you know? I want to respect her privacy. I probably shouldn't have told you this much anyway."

I sighed. "You're right, Edward. I understand," I said nodding my head. I didn't want to go behind Rosalie's back and there were private conversations the two of us needed to have, without Edward acting as match maker.

He looked around, seeming to be on alert. "I will tell you one final thing," he whispered quickly. "When Rosalie told Jack that you and her were getting married, it wasn't a clever distraction. It's what she wants more than anything. Rosalie understands your newborn distraction, but I think she's getting a bit impatient about it. Whatever you decide to do, you should do it sooner rather than later."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why are you telling me _this_? Why do I need to rush if we're immortal and have eternity to be together?"

Edward shrugged his shoulders. "I don't understand women, but I do know how Rosalie is when she doesn't get her way. She seems to have unending patience with _you,_ but with the rest of us, I think she'll continue to be extra moody until everything is worked out between the two of you."

He looked slightly guilty. "And, to be honest, I've experienced the whole "does he like me? does she like me?" thing with Carlisle and Esme, and I don't want to go through _that_ again. Declare your feelings and then _I _can be at peace, too." He tapped his head.

"Thanks, brother. I appreciate the advice," I replied with a laugh. "I'll try to help _both_ of us out."

In the air, I smelled a familiar scent. Carlisle.

The front door of the hotel opened and Carlisle stepped outside, joining us on the city sidewalk.

"Hello, sons. Ready to go to the bank?"

We both nodded and Edward led the way. Although he had never been in Cheyenne before, by monitoring people's thoughts he could find the location of the bank easily. As we walked, I turned to my adoptive father.

"Carlisle, can I ask you for a favor?"

"Sure, son, whatever you need," he replied in earnest.

"Could I have a loan? I don't know how I'll pay you back, but I'll find a way."

Carlisle shook his head. "There's no need for a _loan_, Emmett. As we said earlier, _our_ money is _your_ money. However much you need, it's yours."

I smiled in relief. "Thank you, Carlisle."

"What do you need the money for, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I need to buy...something," I replied, evasively. I wasn't sure why I was embarrassed, but I was.

Carlisle looked at me inquisitively. "Such as?" He wasn't prying, but he seemed sincerely curious.

I paused, once again, for dramatic effect.

"I want to buy an engagement ring for Rosalie."


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

After withdrawing a small fortune from the bank, we went straight to the local jewelry shop. I expected Edward to accompany me, as I was still a newborn and he was still acting as a "_body_guard," but I was pleasantly surprised to find that Carlisle was eager to come along, too.

Carlisle gave advice on the ring to choose for Rosalie. He understood cut and color and what Rosalie preferred. We settled on a very feminine, diamond and platinum ring, with a two carat diamond in the center and diamond accents all around. I was sure that Rosalie would love it.

But, Carlisle's advice did not stop at ring selection. As I paid for the ring, he also advised that I wait until the right moment to propose. We all knew it was inevitable, yet Carlisle seemed hesitant.

"Do I need to ask your permission to marry your daughter?" I asked Carlisle half joking, half serious.

For a brief moment he seemed to consider the possibility, but shook his head. "No need to be_ that_ formal, Emmett. But, as you're probably learning, Rosalie would give anything to be human again. Receiving a proposal is a very important moment in a young lady's life. I want it to be _special_ for her."

I almost made a joke about this _romantic_ side of Carlisle I'd never seen before, but refrained when I realized how serious he was. In fact, he looked almost _troubled_.

"What's wrong, Carlisle?" I asked. I looked at Edward, who had been patiently waiting for us in the corner of the jewelry shop, but he also appeared troubled. Even more so, he seemed _enraged._

Seeing their emotion, I wondered if I had said or done something wrong. For a moment, I wondered if Carlisle didn't think I should propose to Rosalie at all. Upon this thought, Edward immediately composed himself.

"Sorry, Emmett, it's not you," Edward apologized sincerely.

Carlisle seemed to be choosing his words carefully. I knew his razor sharp, multi-tasking vampire mind didn't need this deliberation, but years of human pretense had developed this habit.

"This is Rosalie's story to tell, but she has been hurt in the past. It's difficult for both Edward and I to think of what she experienced," Carlisle smiled gently. "My thoughts of that hurt brought out Edward's protective instincts," he said, explaining his son's extreme response.

Edward smirked. "Yes, I'm protective of my family...even of Rosalie. Can you believe it?"

He was trying to change the mood with a joke, but my own protective instincts were ignited the moment Carlisle mentioned Rosalie being hurt. I was furious. Someone had hurt my angel? I felt my newborn emotions on the verge of spiraling out of control, Edward's outrage was only a fraction of the anger I was feeling. Carlisle noticed.

"Yes, she's been hurt, but now she has _you_, Emmett. I couldn't be happier for the both of you." The troubled expression on Carlisle's face returned to one of joy. This assurance calmed me. I certainly would never allow Rosalie to be hurt again.

"I have no misconceptions that you are the one for Rosalie, because you are. But, can you indulge me as a father figure? I want the best for her and I think it would be better if you wait for the right moment to propose, rather than doing it casually. I know it would mean a lot to Rosalie to have it done the traditional _human_ way."

Carlisle was apologetic and quickly added, "Of course, you are free to do whatever _you_ think is best."

I smiled at his tender care and regard for Rosalie. "Thank you, Carlisle, Thank you for your advice," I replied in earnest. "I think you're exactly right. That's part of the reason why I wanted to buy an engagement ring. I want to do this the _right_ way."

Carlisle patted my shoulder. "You're a good man, Emmett. I'm so glad Rosalie found you."

As we finished our business in Cheyenne, the engagement ring was burning a hole in my pocket. Edward had advised me to act_ quickly_, but Carlisle told me to be _cautious_. I was confused. Both men were sincere in their counsel, but they contradicted one another.

From our previous conversation, I knew there was more to Rosalie than what was happening on the surface and I suspected we needed to have many more private conversations for me to be able to fully understand her. She had been _hurt_ and I need to understand why.

My commitment of love and devotion for Rosalie was already established for eternity, cemented the moment I met her. I didn't fully understand why an official proposal, wedding, and marriage was needed, but it was what Rosalie wanted and I wanted to make her happy. While I was restless to immediately present her with the engagement ring, Carlisle was right. I needed to use caution. I didn't doubt Rosalie's love for me. Our relationship was simple and uncomplicated. But, she needed to be handled with care.

Upon leaving the jewelry shop, Carlisle departed to the real estate office, while Edward and I went to the auto dealership. Apparently the "help" Edward needed in buying a car was to intimidate the salesman into giving us a fair price. Through monitoring conversations in town, Edward had been alerted to the fact that the only dealership in town had a history of outrageous prices. It only took a few passive-aggressive words from Edward and for me to flex my muscles for us to acquire the first honest deal the man had probably ever made. When we mentioned moving, he even added a trailer for free.

Within an hour, we arrived back at to the hotel in a new Chevrolet Master Deluxe, with a large moving trailer hitched to the back. Esme and Rosalie were waiting for us, surrounded by packages. Delighted at the sight of her, I leaped out of the car, in the process ripping off the passenger side door.

Thankfully, only my family had noticed, and I groaned in remorse.

"Stupid strength," I muttered with embarrassment.

Esme consoled me, "Your strength isn't _stupid_, Emmett. It's most likely your _gift_. The door can easily be fixed." Scanning the area to see if anyone was watching, she picked up the door and quickly put it back in place, bending the steel latches in a blur.

"Thanks, Mom," I said in appreciation. Esme smiled and gave me a hug. She was always delighted when I referred to her in that way and I made a mental note to say it more often. "How did shopping go?"

"It went well. Hopefully, we got everything we needed. If not, we can always make a quick run back to Cheyenne."

I laughed at the thought of a "quick run" to a vampire being four hundred miles and helped Edward put the packages in the trailer. I noticed a Louisville Slugger amidst the bags of clothing, appliances and new books.

"You bought a baseball bat?" I asked curiously, holding it up.

"We thought it would be fun to play, since you're a baseball fan. Do you like it?" Rosalie asked.

I gave a shout. "Yes, I love it!" Dropping the bat, I turned and gave Rosalie a hug, spinning her around, in the same way my brothers had hugged her days earlier. However, unlike my brothers, I didn't do it out of sisterly affection. I held her close to me and she held me back. Such a public display of affection probably wasn't proper, but I didn't care.

"It was very thoughtful of you, Rosalie," I whispered into her ear. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she replied, turning her head to look into my eyes.

We had another one of our moments until I heard the car door shut and realized Esme and Edward were sitting inside, waiting for us. I wanted to get down on one knee, right there on the city sidewalk outside The Plains Hotel and ask her to marry me, but I restrained myself. Instead, I opened the car door for her. She sat in the back seat and I joined her.

"Carlisle wants us to meet him at Western Union," Edward informed us. "He's just finished sending a telegram to the hospital in Hoquaim and has the keys to the house in Jackson."

I was constantly amazed at Edward's gift of mind reading. Apparently, he could track people up to a couple of miles away. Vampires, particularly our family members, were even easier to detect. This definitely helped communication, even if it was one sided because Edward could only hear and not reply back.

When we picked up Carlisle he took the driver's seat, while Edward joined us in the back seat. Rosalie and I sat close together, although there was plenty of room. I seemed to have an unquenchable desire to touch Rosalie at all times, although usually I was able to restrain myself. However, two hours and twelve minutes apart from her had weakened my resistance.

I exaggerated an unneeded yawn and stretched out my arm to put around Rosalie shoulders. My intention was obvious and Edward rolled his eyes in amusement. "Smooth," he commented sarcastically.

Rosalie ignored Edward and snuggled closer.

The drive took several hours. The property was actually fifty miles west of Jackson. When paved highway turned into a dirt road, we knew we were close. Our conversation during the trip had been lively, but when we arrived our chatter turned to silence. There, in a meadow, surrounded by ridges, stood a gigantic granite and wood structure.

"It was built in 1915 to serve as a hotel for visitors to Yellowstone, but its remote location prevented it from being successful. The original owner sold it, but the new owner never developed it. It's been sitting here abandoned for twenty years," remarked Carlisle, while the rest of us looked at it in amazement.

Esme was so excited she began jumping up and down. "Oh, Carlisle! It's wonderful!" She kissed her husband on the cheek.

"I hoped you would like it Esme. I know you've been wanting to use your design skills and obviously a place this big needs a lot of work."

"Let's explore it!" I suggested, taking Rosalie by the hand and walking towards the house, eager to see what was inside.

The building was just as striking inside as it was outside. It had high beamed ceilings, large stone fireplaces, richly colored Native American artwork, and old, but elegant furniture. There was a ballroom and large dining room, four parlor rooms and several dozen bedrooms. It was in need of repair, but overall a very impressive property. As we ran from room to room, laughing and pointing out various things, I noticed that apart from the obvious differences compared to our Tennessee farmhouse, this new home provided something the former home did not – privacy.

While my family enjoyed spending time together and this was the point of our first family vacation, in this house we wouldn't be crammed on top of one other. We could actually have private conversations. I would have the opportunity to be _alone_ with Rosalie, but still be near the others. Being forty miles outside of town gave us privacy from prying human eyes, which we greatly appreciated, but the massive structure gave us personal privacy as well.

"It's amazing, Carlisle," Rosalie remarked. "It's much more than we could have asked for."

Edward wasn't one to show much excitement, but even he was impressed. "Indeed," he agreed, "There's even a grand piano in the ballroom. I'll be able to play!"

We all walked outside to take another glance at the building and there seemed to be a collective sigh of relief. My family was happy and that made me happy.

* * *

_Thanks to TwilightGuru09 for being a beta for this chapter!_


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

**A/N: This is a short chapter to transition the family into vacation time.  
**

Since this story has taken me several weeks to write, I realized there were some inconsistencies regarding Rosalie and Emmett's relationship. I've gone back and edited certain chapters to remove some contradictions and have continuity. These small changes don't affect the overall storyline or theme, but if you're interested, check out chapters 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, and 18.

**Thanks for reading!**

**

* * *

  
**

"That was subtle," I remarked with a smirk.

After staring at the house in silence for a few moments, Carlisle delicately told us that he wanted some _alone time_ with his wife. He grabbed Esme by the hand and they both ran back into the house in a flash.

"I guess new houses are an aphrodisiac for some people," I added, with a chuckle. "What should we do now?" I could imagine a million things I wanted to do with Rosalie, but they weren't very appropriate to speak aloud, and they did not involve Edward.

"If you two want some _alone time _as well, I can disappear," Edward replied with his hands up, backing away from Rosalie and me.

I dashed over to Edward and put him in a head lock. It happened within a fraction of a second and for once I beat Edward's mind reading and quick responses. Or, at least, he allowed me to beat him.

"No, little brother, I want to spend time with yooooou," I responded with a noogie. It was a joke, but there was truth in it. I didn't want Edward to ever feel like a third wheel.

Edward wrestled himself free. "Alright, do you want to go hunting? We should be able to find a mountain lion in the park"

Yellowstone National Park was well known for having the finest wildlife in the country. During the car ride from Cheyenne to Jackson, Carlisle told us about the elk, grizzly bear, deer, pronghorn and mountain lion that populated the park. Although I couldn't imagine the _taste_ of these animals would appeal to me, it would be an adventure to hunt them down. Maybe the mountain lion would even be a challenge?

I looked at Rosalie to see if she wanted to go hunting, too. The hours we were apart in Cheyenne were agonizing. I didn't want to endure that again so soon.

"Rosalie?" I asked softly, hoping she would say yes, but completely willing to do whatever would make her happy.

When I was a human, my brothers told me I wore my heart on my sleeve. I was transparent in my emotions and wasn't one to hide what I was really thinking. I wasn't sure if this had transferred during my transformation as a vampire, I was still slowly regaining my personality, but I had a feeling that it did. Rosalie seemed to sense my excitement.

"Sounds like fun....I've never had mountain lion before!" Rosalie replied with a smile. We were holding hands and she gave mine a squeeze.

A confused expression came over Edward's face, but he immediately hid it. He often seemed surprised at the interactions between me and Rosalie. I suppose it was because his inside knowledge of our thoughts didn't always have the result he expected. If Rosalie didn't want to go hunting, Edward would know about it and expect her to say no. But, if she wanted to make me as happy as I wanted to make her, she would have said yes. This would be confusing to Edward because he considered Rosalie to be self-centered. Vampires don't change, my family had told me repeatedly. When we are transformed, our moods, preferences, and personalities are frozen in time. However, Rosalie seemed to be changing and that confused Edward more than anything.

I smelled the air, attempting to practice my tracking skills that had not gotten much use in East Tennessee. "Which direction should we head?" I asked. There were scents in the air, but I didn't recognize them.

"This way," Edward replied, pointing up.

"Vampires can't _fly_," Rosalie responded with a toss of her hair.

Edward pointed to the cliffs surrounding the house. "Let's _climb._"

Rosalie laughed with delight. The sound of her laughter was music to my ears because it was a sign that she was happy and Rosalie's happiness was my priority.

"Good idea, Edward," Rosalie replied without a hint of sarcasm. She looked up at me. "Emmett, you will _love _this."

I was immediately excited for the challenge. The cliffs seemed to be at least a thousand feet tall. It looked dangerous and that thrilled me, yet I hesitated. Being a newborn, I still wasn't fully aware of all my abilities as a vampire. I knew that we were immortal, but could we be _hurt_ if we fell? If it had only been Edward and me, I probably would have charged ahead without a second thought, but I was concerned for Rosalie's safety.

"We'll be perfectly safe," Edward answered my thoughts. "We could jump from a plane in the sky and land without a scratch on our bodies."

The three of us ran to the bottom of the cliffs and began our ascent. We all had our own approach. Edward was fast, climbing in a blur, reaching the top in seconds. Rosalie was methodical, choosing each place to climb with care. I, however, took my time, enjoying the feeling of danger as I dangled in the air with only a single finger holding on to the rocks, even though the trees below were more in danger than I was.

Once we reached the top, we ran in search of mountain lion. As we traveled, Rosalie pointed out the scents of animals she recognized. Since she had only been changed for two years and hadn't traveled out West before, Edward explained to both of us the scents that were unfamiliar. The first one we recognized was grizzly bear. My mouth filled with venom.

"I know we're dining on mountain lion tonight, but I cannot resist any form of bear," I exclaimed in anticipation. Every bear I encountered would represent the bear that almost killed me. I would always have a desire for payback.

Rosalie and Edward laughed. "We understand," Rosalie replied. "Lead the way!"

I followed the grizzly bear scent to a slope covered in snow. Sensing a predator, the grizzly bear emerged from it's den in an aggressive charge. Rosalie and Edward watched while, for the next several minutes, I played a game of cat and mouse. The grizzly bear would pursue and just as he would lunge for me, I would escape. I found this to be exceedingly entertaining.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that you shouldn't play with your food?" Rosalie joked.

I went in for the kill, almost enjoying the taste and being careful to not get blood on the new clothes Esme had bought for me.

Hunting with Rosalie and Edward was fun. We chased one another through the woods, jumping across ravines, strategizing without words to capture our prey. Eventually we found several mountain lion and Edward demonstrated a masterful approach in attack. While we were hunting I felt that we could all be our true selves, vampire and all. There was no need to restrain our speed or strength.

Around dawn, we finished hunting and began our way back home. We walked slowly, choosing to take the long way around, instead of jumping off the cliffs. My arm casually hung around Rosalie's shoulders, and Edward walked in front of us, recalling moments from the evening's activities.

"Is it safe to go back yet?" I asked Edward when the house was in sight. Before I could make a joke about the reason _why_ it wouldn't be safe to return, Edward answered.

"Carlisle and Esme are in the ballroom," he replied with a nod. "And they're waiting for us."

We entered the large foyer and made our way past the main parlor, dining room, and opened the French doors leading to the ballroom.

I looked around the ballroom in amazement. It was spotless. All of the dust and cobwebs had been cleaned, the floor had been shined, and the chandeliers sparkled in the morning light. In the middle of the room a mahogany table held a cake with 21 burning candles and several wrapped presents.

Rosalie and Edward ran ahead of me to join Esme and Carlisle by the table.

"Surprise!" they called out in unison. "Happy Birthday Emmett!"

* * *

If you want to know what happened with Emmett's birthday party, check out the "Out-takes" link on my profile page in the list of stories!


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

**A/N:** If you want to know what happened with Emmett's birthday party, check out the "Out-takes" link on my profile page in the list of stories. Thanks to **The Reaper of Heaven** for ideas to display Emmett's strength. Also, thanks to my beta **BellaSwanCullen1918** for her inspiration and feedback. **Thanks!**

* * *

The weeks before Christmas were filled with quality family time. Every day from twilight until dawn we went skiing. Although we were isolated from humans, we didn't want to take the risk of attracting attention by skiing during the daytime. Our skin sparkled in the sun, after all, and the blinding white snow would only magnify the shine. The blizzard like conditions and below zero temperatures felt like a normal spring day. No need for layers of clothing and scarves or gloves.

The skis Esme bought for us in Cheyenne endured miles and miles of travel through the mountains. Trees and rocks provided a fun obstacle course. Carlisle was the most skilled skier and Edward was the fastest. Neither Rosalie or I had never gone skiing before, but thanks to our vampiric skills, it was easy to learn. To be honest, skiing was a complete turn on for me. The speed was exhilarating. After awhile, Edward and I started competing, daring one another to more difficult challenges. But, that is a story for another time.

During the day we had time for our own individual pursuits. Edward was reading through the abandoned library in the chalet, Esme decided to restore a dozen pieces of furniture and Carlisle was writing articles for various medical journals.

My pursuit was _Rosalie_, of course. We were inseparable, rarely leaving one another's presence.

Coming home from skiing one morning, Esme mentioned an old truck she found in a storage shed on the edge of the property. Rosalie had previously read dozens of books on mechanics and was eager to use her knowledge in a practical way. The old truck would be perfect practice.

I offered Rosalie my assistance, willing to help in any way possible. I acted as a jack, holding up the truck while Rosalie disassembled it and put it back together in working condition. It was amazing that I had the strength to lift a truck that weighed 5,000lbs as if it weighed no more than a pillow.

"You're not bored?" Rosalie asked one day, after several hours of me standing, holding the truck.

I was confused. "Of course, not. Why would I be bored?" I replied.

She shrugged. "I know you like to be active, always itching for something to do. Being my _servant boy_ is not very exciting."

I nodded my head in appreciation for her attempt at flirting, or at least, that's how I interpreted it.

"Rosalie, you know I love being your _servant boy_....I will do anything you want....and I mean _anything,_" I replied suggestively. I didn't want to be disrespectful to Rosalie (she was a lady and I wanted to treat her like one), but I _did_ want to make it very clear I was flirting with her. And each day I felt my old personality returning....I had always been rather rowdy and growing up with brothers had only encouraged my tendency to be..._inappropriate_.

Rosalie threw a oil soaked rag at me. "Seriously, Emmett," she said with a laugh. "I'm sure Edward would play baseball with you if you're bored. Don't feel obligated to be my jack."

I forgot that Rosalie did not have Edward's talent of reading minds. If she did, she would have known that I found it immensely pleasurable being her _jack_. I felt perfectly peaceful watching her remove timing belts and disassemble carburetors. Her beauty was captivating, but the attraction was more than physical. I was irrevocably tied to her and where she was is where I wanted to be. Period.

I lowered the truck to the ground and walked over to Rosalie to talk to her face to face.

With the most serious expression Rosalie had probably ever seen me wear, I looked deep into her eyes and said, "If you want me to leave, I will. But, I _enjoy_ spending time with you, Rosalie. It is not boring and I do not wish to be anywhere else, but with _you_." I entwined my right hand with hers, and held it to my lips for a kiss.

Something had changed since I had my ah-ha moment of realizing Rosalie was my mate. For months it had been easier to focus on my newborn thirst instead of the deep parts of myself. But, now I could clearly focus on Rosalie and my eternal commitment to her. The engagement ring was still in my pocket, still screaming at me to be revealed to her, but it wasn't the right time yet.

Rosalie seemed to have lost her breath. She stammered, apparently not expecting my serious reaction.

"No, I don't want you to leave.....I just thought that....well, I appreciate you wanting to spend time with me, Emmett. Thank you."

We starred deep into one another's eyes, having one of our "moments" with the luxury of not being interrupted by our family. Being with her made me so happy. I was deliriously in love.

Remembering that my one of my goals in "pursuing" Rosalie was to learn more about her past, I picked up a wrench and asked about where her interest in mechanics and automobiles began. I was beyond curious about the "hurt" Carlisle had mentioned, but decided to start the conversation with something _safe_, instead of asking, _"So who was this jerk that broke your heart?"_

Rosalie went back to work, chatting away happily in answer to my question. The conversation moved on to the things she loved about Carlisle and Esme and her conflict with Edward. I pushed further.

"Rosalie, you met my brothers and heard the story of my human family. Tell me about _your_ family."

She smiled. Apparently her family memories were good ones. "I had two younger brothers, my mother was a housewife, of course, and my father worked at a bank. His job helped keep us wealthy during the Great Depression when everyone lost everything. My parents were very attentive and constantly praised my beauty, probably too much."

She told several stories of her life in Rochester. Her detailed memories made me try hard to remember a few stories from _my_ family that she hadn't heard before, hoping to make her laugh. The hours passed by quickly.

After trading several stories about our childhoods, the conversation turned playful.

"You know, my favorite game as a child was playing _chase," _Rosalie said, flirtatiously, as she wiped her hands clean, finished with the day's work.

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Do you think I could catch you?" I asked, with equal flirtation.

She shook her head. "I'm not sure you can, Mr. Cullen," she replied with a smile. "I am very...."

Rosalie didn't finish her sentence, but set off running with laughter. I chased after her, running around the front of the house, passing by Esme and Carlisle sitting on the front porch.

"We'll be back at six o'clock to go skiing," Rosalie called to Esme as we ran by her.

Esme laughed and Carlisle waved.

Rosalie ran into the forest and I chased her for several miles. I was faster, but she was more creative. When Rosalie climbed a tree, then jumped in front of me, only to disappear again, our game of chase turned into hide and seek.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" I called out into the silent forest. I was as familiar with Rosalie's scent as I was with my own, and was following it. My tracking skills were rudimentary, but were improving.

I wasn't sure how far we were from the chalet, but knew we had to return soon. I looked at the watch Esme has given me for my birthday. Rosalie wanted to return at six and it was a quarter till. We didn't have much more time to play. In the privacy of the forest and in the spirit of this childlike fun, I thought it was a perfect moment to share our first kiss. I strategized about how to do this and my imagination began to distract me.

Suddenly, I realized Rosalie's scent had vanished. She wouldn't leave without me, I was sure. Where did she go? Alarm bells went off in my head. Panic gripped my body.

Something wasn't right.


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

"Rosalie?" I called out into the forest, but only silence answered.

My tracking skills were instinctual, although not very polished, and I scrambled, searching for Rosalie's scent.

New scents overlapped hers. Not human scents, not animals scents. Not the scents of my family members, but similar. Another vampire? More than one? I had never met another vampire outside of my family. Could this be _nomads_ that Esme referred to previously?

"_Most vampires are nomads, avoiding the human world completely other than to feed,"_ Esme had told me when I joined the family.

If it were humans, I wouldn't be so alarmed. Rosalie could definitely take care of herself. But, nomads were another issue. There was uncertainty about their motives. I wasn't naïve enough to believe that all vampires were as generous and kind as the Cullens. I knew very well the nature of the monster that lived within me. Without my family's guidance, I could have easily turned into a savage.

_Did nomad savages have my angel?_

Any fear that I felt for Rosalie's safety turned into burning anger. Rosalie would not leave without me and she wouldn't go with strangers, either. Therefore, I could only assume she had been taken against her will. I growled, venom overflowing from my mouth.

_Should I go back home for Carlisle, Esme and Edward's help?_

Time didn't seem to allow for this. I didn't want to waste a moment in finding Rosalie. It didn't matter anyway. I was already running in the direction the scents were leading me. I wasn't sure how far Edward's mind reading capacity could track us, but I hoped somehow he would get the message that his family was in danger. There weren't exactly pay phones in the middle of Yellowstone National Park and the chalet didn't have a land line, either.

Snow was lightly falling, although there were no footprints on the ground for the snow to cover up. Our speed did not allow for footprints anyway, whether it was snowing or not. Surveying the area, I finally picked up a trail of Rosalie's scent and began racing through the forest. The trail was not a straight line, but was winding up trees, through gorges, sharp turns to the left and right. The pattern seemed to indicate that Rosalie was not captured, but was being chased.

With each passing second, I was more determined and filled with more anger. For months, Edward and Carlisle had been wondering about the capacity of my strength. Well, we were about to find out. If Rosalie was hurt, someone was about to experience my strength in full force.

The trail of her scent came to an end at edge of a field and I stopped. _Rosalie!_

There were three male vampires. Crimson eyes, old, tattered clothing, feral. No compassion or kindness in their demeanor. They were circling around Rosalie like she was a piece of meat. I trembled in emotion, but controlled myself to gauge the situation.

"You must be the most beautiful creature in the world," the tall, dark one snarled. "Do you have a mate?" he asked.

"Yes, I do," Rosalie replied haughtily. "And when he finds me, you will be very sorry you bothered me." She stood defiantly, but I noticed fear in her eyes.

"If I were your mate, I would never leave you alone," a short, fat, balding, old vampire grunted. I had assumed that all vampires were beautiful, but this man looked almost _ugly_.

They stopped circling Rosalie and the last vampire spoke. He wasn't as ugly as the others, but looked just as devious.

"He won't find you," he said with a cackle. "You're coming with us. Your beauty will be very helpful in enticing our prey."

The nomad touched a strand of Rosalie's long, golden hair and she flinched.

That was it. I had seen enough.

Normally, I would use humor to diffuse a tense situation, but in this case I could not.

I growled as I emerged from the forest.

The three vampires crouched into defensive positions guarding me from Rosalie. Upon seeing my large frame and crazed look in my eyes, they wavered for a second, but held their ground. Rosalie's face was filled with relief when she saw me.

Perhaps if Carlisle had been there, I would have tried to reason with the vampires peacefully. But, I was beyond discussion and was fully ready to fight for my woman.

Using my full strength, with no need for restraint or caution, I began my attack.

The tall, dark vampire collapsed against the weight of my body slamming into him. I picked him up off the ground and punched him in the jaw, cracking his marble like skin, and then punched him in the stomach causing more cracking. Instead of continuing to fight me, he ran off into the woods in surrender.

The fat, bald man attempted to attack me from the back, but I turned around and tore him limb from limb, throwing disembodied pieces hundreds of yards away from the field. He might have been a vampire, but he was ridiculous to even try to fight me.

I expected the final vampire to be intimidated by my vicious behavior, but he seemed confident that he was up for the challenge.

The nomad's fighting skills were superior to mine, but I had an endless amount of strength. He swung a roundhouse punch. I bent backwards and felt his knuckles swish past my nose. Every punch he threw, I was able to block and return with even more force. After being throw in the air several times from the force of my punches, my opponent then tried a different approach. _Biting_.

"Oww..." I responded at the first bite, feeling the sting of the venom. "What are you, three years old? Fight like a_ man_."

Apparently, this was how vampires fought. His bite left a scar and I decided enough was enough.

Using wrestling moves I had practiced all of my life, I pinned the nomad to the ground. It was a strange feeling, letting this monster inside me be completely unleashed. My fighting skills were definitely still more human than vampire, but I was a killing machine.

Well, to be honest, I wasn't exactly sure how to kill a _vampire_. We were immortal, so there had to be more to it than tearing their body to pieces.

The nomad squirmed beneath me, but I easily held him down. He started apologizing profusely.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't know she had a mate. I thought she was playing hard to get..." he babbled.

"Lies," I screamed. "You're going to pay for this. You do not mess with _my_ woman and live to tell about it."

I glanced over at Rosalie to make sure she was okay, but she was standing like a statue, obviously in shock. I wanted to comfort her, but I wasn't about to let this idiot go free.

As if on cue, the wind brought Carlisle, Esme and Edward's scents to my attention.

_Edward! We're in the field. Rosalie is in shock. Come quickly._

Within seconds, Carlisle, Esme and Edward ran into the field with determined expressions, and almost the same sense of rage I felt earlier. Esme went directly to Rosalie and put her arms around her.

"How do I kill him, Carlisle?" I asked furiously.

Carlisle was calm, but clearly angry. "What is your name?" he asked the nomad. "Where are you from?"

"My name is Thomas. I'm not from any where. I just travel to feed wherever I can. My partners and I came across this lady and we were just having a little fun, that's all. We didn't mean any harm," he stammered.

I tightened my grip and the nomad shouted in pain. "Carlisle. How. Do. I. Kill. Him." I repeated. emphasizing every word.

Carlisle ignored me and continued to address the nomad. "As you can see, my son is very angry. You attacked one of our family members and that is not acceptable to any of us."

The nomad looked even more frightened. "I'm sorry, just let me go...."

"There are two others," Edward told Carlisle. "One ran off and won't be back. The other is torn to pieces, but when he reassembles, he won't bother us again either. Emmett definitely taught them both a lesson." There was pride in Edward's voice when he spoke and I made a mental note to thank him for it later, but also ask for training on how to fight vampires instead of continuing to fight like I was at a country roadhouse.

"And this creature?" Carlisle asked. "Will he bother us again?"

"I won't, I promise I won't," the nomad pleaded, sounding almost sincere.

Edward shook his head. "He's a liar. He should be destroyed."

Carlisle sighed, finding no pleasure in the murder of a creature of our kind, but also realizing I would not be deterred. Edward was able to read the vampire's mind and discern his true intentions. The family must be protected. Carlisle finally answered my question.

"Emmett, we'll have to tear him apart and then burn every piece. Leave none missing," he told me, gravely.

The nomad screamed in horror as I finished the job, doing as Carlisle instructed, with Edward helping me burn the body. When I was confident Rosalie was safe from this creature, I rushed to her side as she was being comforted by Esme.

Holding her in my arms, she collapsed against my chest. I picked her up and cradled her like a baby.

"Rosalie, I'm so sorry you had to experience that. I should have never left your side," I apologized, kissing her forehead.

"Thank you for protecting me, Emmett," she whispered in response.

"How did you know we were in danger?" I asked the others.

"When you didn't return at six, we went looking for you," Esme explained. "Rosalie is always on time. I know you two can take care of yourselves, but what can I say? I'm a worried mother."

Carlisle put his arm around Esme. "I'm a worried father, as well. Being out here in isolation has it's advantages, but also disadvantages. We were going to get close enough for Edward to check on you and go back home if everything was alright. When we were within a couple of miles of you, Edward alerted us you were in danger and we rushed to find you."

"Did I overreact?" I asked, now that I had calmed down and held Rosalie safely in my arms. "My response to finding Rosalie in danger was something I could not control. I didn't even try to speak with the nomads. I just attacked."

"Carlisle definitely advises us to be peacemakers, but in this case, you made the right decision," Edward responded.

He explained the missing details from the nomads thoughts. Evidently, upon seeing Rosalie' running through the forest, the nomads planned on making her their slave and if she had refused, they would've killed her and moved on without remorse. They had attempted such a thing at least three other times elsewhere, without success, but hadn't been detoured. Their dream was unrealistic and their confidence was bordering on mental illness.

"I don't think you realize how powerful that nomad was, Emmett. He was sincerely shocked that he wasn't able to overpower you," Edward commented. "It would have taken me, Carlisle _and_ Esme to over take him, but you held him down as if was a human."

"Edward has been gifted with reading minds, but your strength is definitely more than newborn ability. It's your gift," Carlisle added. "And it saved the day."

My strength had always been useful. Whether it was laying railroad track or cutting down trees, I had always appreciated it, but never thought much about it. Now, in this moment, I realized it _was_ a gift. I shrugged, recognizing the truth in Carlisle's words, but chose to focus on being thankful for Rosalie's safety.

"Well, I'm glad I was able to find Rosalie before anything worse happened."

I kissed Rosalie on the forehead again. "No more games of hide and seek for us, okay?" I joked. "It's too dangerous."

"Agreed," Rosalie replied with a soft laugh.

I was glad she was safe and in my arms. I didn't plan on letting her out of my sight anytime soon.


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

I carried Rosalie back to the chalet and Esme led us to a parlor she had recently restored. We sat on a comfortable sofa in front of a roaring fire, with Rosalie remaining cradled in my lap, and Esme lit the fireplace. The warmth from the fire was comforting, despite the fact that fire had destroyed our enemy only an hour ago.

"If you need anything, please let me know," Esme mentioned softly, before closing the door and leaving us in privacy.

Rosalie and I sat in silence, looking at the fire, enjoying the closeness between us. I was willing to sit and hold her in my arms for however long Rosalie needed. She seemed to be out of the shock from the attack, but deep in thought. After several minutes, she broke the silence.

"Do you remember the conversations we had as a family about our transformations?"

"Yes, of course," I replied.

The others had gone into detail about their change, but Rosalie had been vague.

"Mine is a bit more complicated than the others...I need to start from the beginning," Rosalie sighed, as if correcting herself. Her voice was filled with emotion. "Tonight, the way you protected me when I was being attacked....that meant a lot to me, Emmett."

"Rosalie, I would do anything to keep you safe...."

She entangled herself from my embrace, and walked to the window.

"It meant a lot to me because there was once a time when the man I loved was _not_ there to protect me."

She starred out the window, refusing to look at me.

"I was raped by a group of men and then beaten to death," she whispered.

I gasped in shock and adrenaline rushed through my body. The previous events had made me angry, but the thought of Rosalie being violated was unbearable. I made every effort to remain calm, for Rosalie's sake. It had taken months for her to share this confession with me. I didn't want to break her trust now.

She shook her head, still unwilling to look at me, although I could see her reflection in the window. I knew vampires could not cry, but Rosalie had the expression of someone who cried all their tears and had no more to give – there was sadness, but resolution as well.

"I was engaged to be married to a man named Royce King. He owned the bank my father worked at and thanks to my mother's matchmaking skills, he noticed me. Royce pursued me with flowers and compliments, but he never had time for me. I thought it was because he was busy working at the bank, but..." she didn't continue her thought. "I was vain and self-centered and wanted to be married to someone "important."

One night, shortly before the wedding, I went to visit my best friend Vera. The affection between her and her husband was so obvious it me realize the lack of love in my relationship with Royce. It troubled me so much, realizing I was about to enter a loveless marriage. I knew he didn't love me.

As I was walking home that night, I met Royce and his friends. They were drunk and he bragged about my beauty and then he and his friends...._brutally_ raped me and left me in the street to die."

I couldn't restrain myself any longer and I rushed to Rosalie's side. I swept her into my arms and gently pressed my lips against hers. Rosalie returned the kiss eagerly, pulling me closer to her and running her fingers through my hair.

I had always wondered what our first kiss would be like. Fireworks, explosions, a marching band playing, a choir singing – I felt all of those awe inspiring emotions. It was as if the final piece of the puzzle had been put into place. More than that, though, I recognized our first kiss was a kiss of comfort. Neither of us would ever be alone again. I wanted my gentle kisses to erase the hurt Rosalie had experienced.

"Where are these men? I will kill them! I will MUREDER THEM!" I spoke softly, but with deadly intent.

Rosalie gave a half smile. "Calm down, Emmett. I already did that,"

I blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"After Carlisle changed me, I avenged my death by killing the men who raped me. Royce locked himself in a windowless room, with a thick, vault like door, guarded by two men. I killed the guards and then tortured him to death. " She smiled for the first time since beginning the story. "I wore my wedding dress."

I laughed at Rosalie's flair for the dramatic and kissed her again. We couldn't tear ourselves apart from one another, and I was desperately trying to be a gentleman, but failing miserably.

"I was afraid to tell you, Emmett. I was afraid you wouldn't want me if you knew I was damaged in that way," Rosalie eventually sobbed, hiding her face against my chest.

Holding her tightly, I spoke with conviction. "Rosalie, the moment I met you I felt as if I had come home. You are the one for me. Of course, I _want_ you. There is absolutely no possibility that I would want anyone else but you."

I shuddered in anger at the thought of Royce and his friends attacking my angel. "It's not your fault you were attacked, baby. If I had ten seconds with those bastards..." I felt the rage rising within, wishing I had an outlet for it.

"Calm down, Emmett....it's okay, it's over," Rosalie murmured, comforting _me_ with a kiss. "You've already saved me. Before I met you, I didn't think I could live my life as a vampire. I wanted so badly to be human again. But, now that I have you, I know I can endure it. You have given me _hope_ for this existence."

"Why did you choose me, Rosalie?" I finally asked the question that had plagued me all these months. "You're the most beautiful woman in the world. You could have had any man you wanted."

She pulled away, but only slightly.

"Once I saw you, I just couldn't imagine my eternity without you," Rosalie whispered, looking deep into my eyes. "Your dark, curly hair," she ran her fingers through my hair again, "your dimpled cheeks," she caressed my face. "And you had this odd expression of innocence that looked so out of place on a grown man's face. It was completely selfish to want to change you, especially when I despised being a vampire myself, but I simply had to do it."

Rosalie kissed me tenderly. "I love you, Emmett. I've loved you since the moment I met you."

"I love you, too, Rosalie," I responded immediately and returned the kiss.

No other moment could be more perfect than this. I bent down on one knee and pulled the velvet box out of my pocket.

"Rosalie, will you marry me?"


	23. Epilogue

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Thanks and credit to Stephenie Meyer her creativity and storytelling!

* * *

Once the engagement ring was on Rosalie's finger, she ran out of the room, screaming at the top of her lungs, "I'm getting marrrrrieeeddd!" in search of the rest of the family to celebrate with her.

We were married in a cathedral in Seattle. There were hundreds of guests which Carlisle had miraculously produced, giving Rosalie the lavish and attention filled wedding she had always desired.

As Carlisle walked Rosalie down the aisle, in her breathtaking beauty, my life flashed before my eyes.

_Growing up as a McCarty_

_The bear attack_

_Seeing Rosalie for the first time_

_The searing pain of my transformation_

_Hunting with the Cullens_

_Killing a bear_

_Joining the Cullen family_

_Saying goodbye to Jack_

_Rescuing Rosalie _

_My first kiss with Rosalie_

As Rosalie climbed the stairs of the altar and took my hand, I realized my life was complete. I had found true love and a true family.

I had been transformed in more ways than one.

* * *

**End Notes:** Thanks to my betas **BellaSwanCullen1918** and **TwilightGuru09** and to all the faithful readers who have been with me and reviewed from the beginning. This isn't a perfect story, but it was fun to explore Emmett's story (in addition to practicing my writing skills).

I'm interested in writing out-takes of the story. If you a suggestion about what I should write, please leave a review or PM me!

**Thank you for reading!**


End file.
